Population 5,502 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Porter
Household size in Porter
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Porter are small: just 2.35 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.45 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.7 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Porter is 42.3 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.7, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the north.
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
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Porter (10.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, 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
Renters in Porter
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Porter is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 27.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 8.8 points since 2006–10, 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 Porter
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Porter: 6.8% 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 1.9 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 Porter
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Porter was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Chicago area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $693 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,199 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,275 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,133 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$440 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
Rent in Porter runs $1,133 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $440 a month since 2006–10, up 64%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 26.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. 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 Porter
Bachelor's degrees in Porter
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.6% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.8% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Porter than nationally: 29.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has edged up 0.7 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north 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
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.0% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.0% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.2% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Porter: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people, only eight 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
| Period | Porter | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Porter: 6.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Porter has higher unemployment than at least four in five Indiana cities. 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter | 2.35 | 42.3 | 10.9% | 18.0% | 6.8% | 1982 | $1,133 | 29.8% | 97.4% | 6.4% |
| Chesterton | 2.51 | 41.4 | 11.1% | 20.5% | 7.7% | 1983 | $1,352 | 36.6% | 96.0% | 4.8% |
| Dune Acres | 2.37 | 53.1 | 6.7% | 1.1% | 14.9% | 1977 | $1,013 | 51.4% | 98.4% | 9.7% |
| Burns Harbor | 2.47 | 40.8 | 12.9% | 30.9% | 7.8% | 1994 | $1,361 | 24.5% | 95.8% | 7.7% |
| Furnessville | 2.52 | 47.7 | 4.6% | 22.1% | 13.2% | 1975 | $1,169 | 24.1% | 95.0% | 1.1% |
| Burdick | 2.54 | 50.3 | 12.4% | 6.7% | 13.6% | 1991 | $1,066 | 35.6% | 95.7% | 1.9% |
| Ogden Dunes | 2.27 | 51.9 | 3.0% | 0.6% | 14.3% | 1960 | $1,241 | 73.4% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Portage | 2.67 | 40.3 | 15.1% | 27.4% | 7.9% | 1983 | $1,317 | 18.5% | 89.8% | 6.6% |
| Beverly Shores | 1.97 | 64.7 | 1.5% | 4.1% | 33.3% | 1973 | $1,586 | 67.3% | 97.8% | 5.3% |
| Town of Pines | 2.05 | 53.6 | 2.2% | 14.3% | 14.9% | 1962 | $891 | 18.4% | 84.6% | 2.5% |
| Otis | 2.19 | 54.6 | 6.6% | 18.4% | 10.6% | 1989 | $1,323 | 24.0% | 94.6% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Chewelah, WA · Corinth, NY · Colquitt, GA · College Grove, TN · Colgate, WI · Colfax, WI · Cokato, MN · Citronelle, AL · Citra, FL · Cisco, TX
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. 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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