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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Gary

Indiana · 116,646 residents · 49.9 sq mi
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The short version

Gary is a city of 116,646 people in Indiana. 29.4% of locals live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $31,300. About 9% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Households here earn about 33% less than in Indiana as a whole. Households take in $19,390 at the median, 36% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 31.3
US median: 33.0
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 21%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

116,646
+14%vs 2000
vs 102,746 in 2000
1990 – 2025
31.3
−7%vs 2000
vs 33.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
49.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
63K78K92K107K121K19902000201020202024Gary
202468K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58%(9,297)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.4%(9,826)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 149.6%(11,181)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 198.9%(10,381)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.2%(7,232)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3414.5%(16,870)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4413.5%(15,705)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.2%(11,899)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.4%(10,945)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.4%(8,636)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.2%(3,758)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.8%(916)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$19,390
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $27,195 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
$8,994
−37%vs 2000
vs $14,383 in 2000
US average: $14,340
29.4%
+3.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 25.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

$31,300
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $51,900 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
$335
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $469 in 2000
US average: $450
58.6%
+2.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 55.8% in 2000
41.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic10.1%(10,338)
Black83.4%(85,704)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(5,065)
Asian0.1%(123)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic16.3%(18,995)
Black80.6%(94,013)
Hispanic / Latino5.4%(6,282)
Asian0.1%(145)
Other3%(3,493)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.2%(4,193)
Puerto Rican3.4%(2,338)
Honduran0.3%(179)
Guatemalan0.2%(139)
Venezuelan0.1%(81)
Spaniard0.1%(56)
Cuban0%(23)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(72)
Chinese0%(26)
Korean0%(24)
Thai0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German2.7%(1,816)
Irish2.2%(1,468)
English1.9%(1,294)
American1.4%(964)
Italian0.8%(571)
Polish0.8%(557)
Arab0.6%(424)
West Indian0.6%(400)
Nigerian0.5%(364)
Jamaican0.3%(235)
Haitian0.3%(198)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Lebanese0.3%(184)
Greek0.3%(176)
Dutch0.2%(163)
French0.2%(149)
Hungarian0.2%(149)
Scottish0.2%(136)
Turkish0.2%(118)
Lithuanian0.2%(107)
Slovak0.1%(84)
Ethiopian0.1%(66)
Croatian0.1%(63)
Swedish0.1%(60)
Norwegian0.1%(57)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(45)
Russian0%(32)
Armenian0%(31)
Serbian0%(31)
Syrian0%(29)
Belgian0%(29)
Welsh0%(21)
British0%(16)
Moroccan0%(14)
Danish0%(11)
Romanian0%(11)
Israeli0%(10)
Section 05

Education

8.8%
−1.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
64.8%
−7.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 72.7% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
3.8%
−0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 4.0% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.1 min
+23%vs 2000
vs 17.2 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married47.4%(11,059)
Married33.3%(7,765)
Widowed6%(1,405)
Divorced13.3%(3,100)
Women 15+
Never married47%(13,379)
Married26.8%(7,620)
Widowed10.8%(3,086)
Divorced15.3%(4,360)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

8.1%
−10.8 ptssince 2013
from 18.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
33.3%
−3.1 ptssince 2020
from 36.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
8.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 7.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
22.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
47.3%
+5.9 ptssince 2020
from 41.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
39.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2020
from 43.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
63.9%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 59.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Gary, Indiana?

Gary, Indiana has about 116,646 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Gary, Indiana?

The typical household in Gary, Indiana earns about $19,390 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Gary, Indiana expensive?

In Gary, Indiana, the median home is worth about $31,300, and the typical rent is about $335 a month.

How educated are people in Gary, Indiana?

About 8.8% of adults age 25 and over in Gary, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Gary, Indiana?

About 29.4% of people in Gary, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →