Population 500,379 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lake County
Household size in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.70 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Lake County average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.70, in line with the national trend. Lake County has larger households than the great majority of Indiana counties.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.7 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.0 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Lake County are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.8, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Lake County than nationally: 14.3%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national share fell. Few Indiana counties have a higher share of single-parent households: only three of 92.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lake County
Renters in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.1% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.3% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.3% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Lake County rent their homes (28.3%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 38.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.7 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Lake County as nationally: 9.5%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Chicago area (7.2%). Vacancy is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Lake County run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $827 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $868 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $996 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,238 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$412 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
Rent in Lake County runs $1,238 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $412 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lake County
Bachelor's degrees in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.6% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Lake County than nationally: 26.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.5 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.0% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.7% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.9% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Lake County is close to the national rate: 89.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lake County
| Period | Lake County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lake County is close to the national rate: 6.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Of Indiana's 92 counties, only four have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.8 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lake County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 2.63 | 40.6 | 14.3% | 28.3% | 9.5% | 1973 | $1,238 | 26.1% | 89.9% | 6.0% |
| Porter County | 2.57 | 41.5 | 10.0% | 22.3% | 7.0% | 1984 | $1,281 | 31.1% | 93.9% | 4.5% |
| LaPorte County | 2.45 | 41.9 | 14.5% | 25.3% | 12.2% | 1969 | $1,070 | 22.3% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| Will County | 2.93 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 17.2% | 4.9% | 1987 | $1,764 | 38.2% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Kendall County | 3.09 | 36.4 | 12.2% | 16.0% | 3.9% | 1997 | $1,934 | 36.6% | 94.1% | 4.3% |
| St. Joseph County | 2.52 | 38.0 | 11.4% | 31.0% | 9.7% | 1969 | $1,155 | 34.2% | 91.2% | 5.3% |
| Elkhart County | 2.95 | 37.0 | 12.6% | 28.4% | 10.4% | 1977 | $1,093 | 20.4% | 81.7% | 3.6% |
| LaGrange County | 3.30 | 33.3 | 8.5% | 17.0% | 11.9% | 1983 | $846 | 10.5% | 54.4% | 3.9% |
| Noble County | 2.64 | 39.5 | 11.3% | 22.9% | 10.8% | 1974 | $832 | 18.3% | 82.5% | 3.0% |
| Steuben County | 2.42 | 43.2 | 8.6% | 20.5% | 21.4% | 1976 | $934 | 26.2% | 92.3% | 6.8% |
| Williams County | 2.37 | 41.9 | 13.0% | 23.7% | 6.5% | 1965 | $796 | 13.9% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Adams County, CO · Sonoma County, CA · Spokane County, WA · Stanislaus County, CA · Volusia County, FL · Guilford County, NC · Greenville County, SC · Washoe County, NV · Douglas County, NE · Delaware County, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lake County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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