Population 79,939 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Valparaiso
Household size in Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Valparaiso has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.60, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center.
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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.8 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in Valparaiso is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east 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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Valparaiso: 8.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Compared with other Indiana cities, Valparaiso has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Valparaiso
Renters in Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.3% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.4% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Valparaiso own their homes; 25.4% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly a third of owners (32.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.1 points, as it has nationally.
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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Valparaiso than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area.
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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Valparaiso is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $893 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $990 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,034 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,319 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$426 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Valparaiso pays $1,319 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $426 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northwest.
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 Valparaiso
Bachelor's degrees in Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.9% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.5% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.7% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Valparaiso (36.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Chicago area (40.9%). The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.2% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.7% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Valparaiso: 94.9% 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 2.7 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 Valparaiso
| Period | Valparaiso | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.2% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Valparaiso has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Valparaiso 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso | 2.53 | 40.9 | 8.4% | 25.4% | 6.6% | 1985 | $1,319 | 36.7% | 94.9% | 3.3% |
| 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% |
| Malden | 2.96 | 45.9 | 2.1% | 2.2% | 5.0% | 1992 | $954 | 32.8% | 97.0% | 3.9% |
| Chesterton | 2.51 | 41.4 | 11.1% | 20.5% | 7.7% | 1983 | $1,352 | 36.6% | 96.0% | 4.8% |
| Portage | 2.67 | 40.3 | 15.1% | 27.4% | 7.9% | 1983 | $1,317 | 18.5% | 89.8% | 6.6% |
| Burns Harbor | 2.47 | 40.8 | 12.9% | 30.9% | 7.8% | 1994 | $1,361 | 24.5% | 95.8% | 7.7% |
| Boone Grove | 2.59 | 45.2 | 2.8% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 1982 | $1,124 | 22.3% | 93.8% | 0.6% |
| Burdick | 2.54 | 50.3 | 12.4% | 6.7% | 13.6% | 1991 | $1,066 | 35.6% | 95.7% | 1.9% |
| Porter | 2.35 | 42.3 | 10.9% | 18.0% | 6.8% | 1982 | $1,133 | 29.8% | 97.4% | 6.4% |
| Westville | 2.38 | 43.0 | 17.5% | 9.9% | 5.7% | 1994 | $1,188 | 18.8% | 88.7% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Winter, WI · West Liberty, WV · Wesley Chapel, FL · West Covina, CA · Westville, FL · Weldon, NC · West Enfield, ME · West Hopkinton, NH · Wesley, TX · West College Corner, 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 Valparaiso. 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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