Population 11,894 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Whiting
Household size in Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Whiting average 2.58 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is smaller than in the Chicago area overall, where it has 2.66 people. Household size has crept up from 2.54 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.0 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Whiting skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 38.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west.
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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Whiting (15.1%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.1 points, even as the national share fell. Whiting has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five 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 Whiting
Renters in Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.8% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.5% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.8% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Whiting is just as common as it is nationally: 34.8% of households rent. Among homeowners, 34.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the south. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.8 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.9% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Whiting is the same as the national rate: 9.6% of homes are empty. The rate is higher than in the Chicago area as a whole (7.2%). Vacancy is down 3.7 points from 2006–10, 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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1939 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1939 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1940 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Whiting is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1940, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. No other Indiana city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $713 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $770 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $815 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,043 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$330 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Whiting pays $1,043 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $330 a month from 2006–10, a 46% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Whiting
Bachelor's degrees in Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.2% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Whiting: 22.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.4 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.0% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.8% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.3% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.4% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in Whiting never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Whiting has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Indiana cities.
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 Whiting
| Period | Whiting | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.3% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Whiting runs well above the national rate: 8.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only four of the 187 Indiana cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. 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).
Whiting 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiting | 2.58 | 42.0 | 15.1% | 34.8% | 9.6% | 1940 | $1,043 | 22.4% | 84.4% | 8.6% |
| East Chicago | 2.75 | 36.1 | 22.4% | 57.1% | 19.1% | 1943 | $910 | 11.8% | 73.9% | 8.2% |
| Burnham | 2.60 | 38.4 | 16.6% | 42.0% | 10.3% | 1968 | $1,260 | 15.6% | 84.5% | 10.2% |
| Calumet City | 2.66 | 39.7 | 22.0% | 44.3% | 15.1% | 1964 | $1,293 | 21.8% | 88.8% | 11.2% |
| Hammond | 2.72 | 36.0 | 20.1% | 38.6% | 10.6% | 1954 | $1,161 | 16.7% | 82.2% | 7.0% |
| Dolton | 2.77 | 40.1 | 21.7% | 27.5% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,579 | 21.6% | 93.8% | 13.2% |
| Riverdale | 2.73 | 28.5 | 39.5% | 66.0% | 17.9% | 1953 | $1,005 | 12.2% | 86.6% | 21.4% |
| South Holland | 2.80 | 42.7 | 20.6% | 17.5% | 5.2% | 1967 | $2,106 | 24.5% | 91.4% | 11.0% |
| Calumet Park | 2.56 | 36.9 | 14.2% | 45.0% | 8.4% | 1963 | $1,228 | 24.9% | 90.7% | 14.7% |
| Lansing | 2.55 | 40.1 | 20.7% | 27.5% | 8.1% | 1965 | $1,376 | 28.3% | 93.4% | 9.4% |
| Phoenix | 2.59 | 36.2 | 22.0% | 26.2% | 13.5% | 1967 | $1,248 | 9.0% | 92.4% | 24.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Munhall, PA · Moscow, PA · Moseley, VA · Moulton, AL · Moundsville, WV · Mount Olive, NC · Mount Pleasant, IA · Mount Sinai, NY · Mount Vernon, IN · Mountain City, TN
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 Whiting. 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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