Gary is a city of 68,113 people in Indiana. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. 33.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 46% less than in Indiana as a whole. The typical home is worth $94,700, having more than doubled since 2000. 49% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $38,731, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Gary
What changed most since 1990
Population116,646 → 68,113(−42%)US over the same years: +35%
White share14.3% → 9.4%(−4.8 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants58.6% → 49.1%(−9.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Gary's population equals 14% of Lake County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 4.5% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 32% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.3%(681)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(715)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.2%(1,133)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(178)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(34)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,520 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Gary, decade by decade
Gary population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
116,646
$46,537
$75,122
8.8%
42.0
2000
102,746
$49,540
$94,544
10.1%
36.4
2010
80,294
$40,058
$98,686
11.6%
35.6
2020
69,093
$37,955
$82,903
13.5%
44.9
2024
68,113
$38,731
$94,700
14.8%
50.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
