Population 37,702 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merrillville
Household size in Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Merrillville run small, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.56, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.3 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Merrillville skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 37.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the west and 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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Merrillville: 14.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged up 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Merrillville has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Indiana cities.
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 Merrillville
Renters in Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.4% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.6% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Merrillville rent their homes (30.6%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 32.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.0 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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Merrillville: 6.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Vacancy is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Merrillville was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Chicago area, where the median home dates to 1970. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, 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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $888 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $868 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $995 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,296 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$408 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Merrillville pays $1,296 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $408 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 37.7% 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 center; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Merrillville
Bachelor's degrees in Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.6% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.6% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Merrillville than nationally: 25.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the north.
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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.3% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Merrillville is a bit above the national rate: 91.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Merrillville
| Period | Merrillville | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Merrillville: 7.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only eight of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Unemployment is down 3.2 points from 2006–10, 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).
Merrillville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville | 2.40 | 43.3 | 14.8% | 30.6% | 6.1% | 1979 | $1,296 | 25.6% | 91.8% | 7.6% |
| Schererville | 2.51 | 44.1 | 8.0% | 20.3% | 5.4% | 1989 | $1,372 | 34.0% | 94.8% | 4.5% |
| Griffith | 2.37 | 38.3 | 17.1% | 26.8% | 5.9% | 1966 | $1,213 | 27.1% | 95.5% | 3.6% |
| Hobart | 2.47 | 41.4 | 9.7% | 29.5% | 8.1% | 1971 | $1,171 | 21.1% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| Crown Point | 2.85 | 42.0 | 8.6% | 10.4% | 4.0% | 1991 | $1,407 | 36.1% | 95.7% | 2.6% |
| Gary | 2.56 | 38.1 | 25.5% | 49.5% | 24.1% | 1957 | $1,062 | 15.0% | 86.1% | 10.1% |
| New Chicago | 2.61 | 29.1 | 19.1% | 42.9% | 11.1% | 1974 | $1,135 | 9.0% | 77.9% | 8.2% |
| St. John | 2.83 | 44.1 | 4.9% | 2.8% | 4.0% | 2001 | $1,222 | 40.7% | 94.6% | 2.0% |
| Highland | 2.29 | 46.2 | 11.4% | 21.5% | 5.4% | 1969 | $1,305 | 29.8% | 94.2% | 4.9% |
| Winfield | 3.18 | 38.0 | 6.0% | 6.1% | 9.4% | 2006 | $1,719 | 41.7% | 91.5% | 4.3% |
| Lake Station | 2.78 | 36.1 | 19.1% | 25.3% | 7.1% | 1963 | $1,173 | 8.3% | 77.1% | 13.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bristol, TN · Egypt Lake-Leto, FL · Clinton, MD · Cibolo, TX · Channelview, TX · Carpentersville, IL · Carlsbad, NM · Camas, WA · Brighton, NY · Blackwood, NJ
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 Merrillville. 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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