Population 174,818 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Porter County
Household size in Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.65 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Porter County has 2.57 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.62, mirroring the country. Compared with other Indiana counties, though, Porter County has larger households than most.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.5 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.3 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Porter County are younger than 41.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Chicago area overall, where the median age is 39.7. The median age has climbed from 38.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.0% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Porter County than nationally: 10.0%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Porter County
Renters in Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.9% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.3% of households in Porter County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 32.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.7% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Porter County than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Porter County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Indiana counties.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Porter County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the south.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $826 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $986 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,005 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,281 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$455 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Porter County pays $1,281 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $455 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Among Indiana's 92 counties, though, only five have higher rents.
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 Porter County
Bachelor's degrees in Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.5% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over three in ten adults 25 and older in Porter County (31.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the west.
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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Porter County is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.7 points, in line with the national trend. Only five of Indiana's 92 counties have a higher 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 Porter County
| Period | Porter County | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Porter County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.9 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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).
Porter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter County | 2.57 | 41.5 | 10.0% | 22.3% | 7.0% | 1984 | $1,281 | 31.1% | 93.9% | 4.5% |
| Lake County | 2.63 | 40.6 | 14.3% | 28.3% | 9.5% | 1973 | $1,238 | 26.1% | 89.9% | 6.0% |
| LaPorte County | 2.45 | 41.9 | 14.5% | 25.3% | 12.2% | 1969 | $1,070 | 22.3% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| St. Joseph County | 2.52 | 38.0 | 11.4% | 31.0% | 9.7% | 1969 | $1,155 | 34.2% | 91.2% | 5.3% |
| Will County | 2.93 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 17.2% | 4.9% | 1987 | $1,764 | 38.2% | 91.8% | 4.9% |
| Elkhart County | 2.95 | 37.0 | 12.6% | 28.4% | 10.4% | 1977 | $1,093 | 20.4% | 81.7% | 3.6% |
| Kendall County | 3.09 | 36.4 | 12.2% | 16.0% | 3.9% | 1997 | $1,934 | 36.6% | 94.1% | 4.3% |
| 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: Winnebago County, WI · Medina County, OH · Peoria County, IL · Scott County, IA · Shasta County, CA · Shawnee County, KS · Ulster County, NY · Kent County, DE · Vanderburgh County, IN · Kanawha County, WV
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 Porter 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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