Population 12,986 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lake Station
Household size in Lake Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.69 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.78 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Lake Station average 2.78 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has climbed from 2.69 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Lake Station has larger households than at least four in five Indiana cities.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.1 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.1 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.7 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Lake Station is 36.1 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has edged down from 36.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.6% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in five households in Lake Station (19.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 3.4 points, even as the national share fell. Only three of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Station
Renters in Lake Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.8% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.1% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Lake Station own their homes; 25.3% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.2% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Lake Station: 7.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.7 points, 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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Lake Station is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the east.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $744 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $770 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $946 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,173 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$429 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
Rent in Lake Station runs $1,173 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $429 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the north.
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 Station
Bachelor's degrees in Lake Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Lake Station have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 8.3%, against 35.6% nationally. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.8% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.8% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.6% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 77.1% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Lake Station never finished high school, well above the national share: only 77.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Station
| Period | Lake Station | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Lake Station: 13.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Lake Station has the highest unemployment rate of any Indiana city with 5,000+ people. Unemployment is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Station compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Station | 2.78 | 36.1 | 19.1% | 25.3% | 7.1% | 1963 | $1,173 | 8.3% | 77.1% | 13.3% |
| New Chicago | 2.61 | 29.1 | 19.1% | 42.9% | 11.1% | 1974 | $1,135 | 9.0% | 77.9% | 8.2% |
| Hobart | 2.47 | 41.4 | 9.7% | 29.5% | 8.1% | 1971 | $1,171 | 21.1% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| Portage | 2.67 | 40.3 | 15.1% | 27.4% | 7.9% | 1983 | $1,317 | 18.5% | 89.8% | 6.6% |
| Gary | 2.56 | 38.1 | 25.5% | 49.5% | 24.1% | 1957 | $1,062 | 15.0% | 86.1% | 10.1% |
| Ogden Dunes | 2.27 | 51.9 | 3.0% | 0.6% | 14.3% | 1960 | $1,241 | 73.4% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Wheeler | 2.76 | 43.8 | 6.6% | 11.6% | 2.3% | 1989 | $1,369 | 15.1% | 93.6% | 3.5% |
| Deep River | 2.82 | 47.1 | 8.1% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 1993 | $1,369 | 23.7% | 91.5% | 3.3% |
| Merrillville | 2.40 | 43.3 | 14.8% | 30.6% | 6.1% | 1979 | $1,296 | 25.6% | 91.8% | 7.6% |
| Burns Harbor | 2.47 | 40.8 | 12.9% | 30.9% | 7.8% | 1994 | $1,361 | 24.5% | 95.8% | 7.7% |
| Griffith | 2.37 | 38.3 | 17.1% | 26.8% | 5.9% | 1966 | $1,213 | 27.1% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pleasanton, TX · New Providence, NJ · Newcastle, WA · North Bend, OR · Piedmont, CA · Piedmont, OK · Plainwell, MI · Platte City, MO · Pleasant Hill, MO · New Palestine, IN
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 Station. 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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