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COUNTY

Porter County

Indiana · 176,049 residents (2025 est.) · 418 sq mi
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The short version

With 174,818 people, Porter County is a county in Indiana. That puts it in the top 3% of US counties for household income. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. That is roughly 22% ahead of the Indiana median. 28,020 more people live here than in 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
174,818
+19%since 2000
from 146,798 in 2000
176,049 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
418 / sq mi
+9%since 2009
from 383 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
40.8
+12%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
418 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
124K138K152K166K179K19902000201020202024Porter County
2024175K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(8,784)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(10,782)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(10,682)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(11,276)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.2%(10,902)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.1%(21,108)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.6%(23,729)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(22,447)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.2%(23,155)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.2%(19,651)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.3%(9,180)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(3,122)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$87,972
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,100 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$44,216
+85%since 2000
from $23,957 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
56.2%
+18.4 ptssince 2009
from 37.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.6%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.434
+6%since 2010
from 0.409 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$281,500
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $123,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,219
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $625 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 76.7% in 2000
22.3% rent
Vacancy rate
5.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.50 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+23%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.2%(135,334)
Black0.9%(1,314)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(7,079)
Asian0.9%(1,327)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.1%(138,257)
Black4.3%(7,501)
Hispanic / Latino11.7%(20,367)
Asian1.4%(2,533)
Other3.5%(6,160)
Diversity Score
45
+65%since 2009
from 27 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
24
−13%since 2020
from 28 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8.2%(14,299)
Puerto Rican2.1%(3,697)
Spaniard0.3%(448)
Peruvian0.2%(338)
Bolivian0.1%(154)
Cuban0.1%(144)
Guatemalan0.1%(140)
Colombian0.1%(90)
Dominican0%(63)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(772)
Asian Indian0.4%(623)
Chinese0.3%(537)
Vietnamese0.1%(177)
Thai0.1%(140)
Cambodian0.1%(111)
Pakistani0%(61)
Japanese0%(44)
Korean0%(31)
Burmese0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(77)
Ancestry
German18.9%(33,100)
Irish14.9%(25,970)
English10%(17,557)
Polish7.8%(13,670)
Italian4.9%(8,515)
American4.2%(7,298)
Swedish2.1%(3,652)
Scottish1.9%(3,286)
Dutch1.7%(3,059)
French1.7%(3,047)
Hungarian1.3%(2,238)
Slovak1.1%(1,944)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.9%(1,592)
Czech0.8%(1,428)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,373)
Serbian0.8%(1,343)
Croatian0.7%(1,287)
Norwegian0.6%(1,094)
Russian0.6%(1,081)
Welsh0.6%(1,007)
Lithuanian0.5%(894)
Swiss0.3%(551)
British0.3%(549)
Finnish0.3%(536)
Bulgarian0.3%(511)
Arab0.3%(497)
Romanian0.2%(376)
Danish0.2%(341)
Macedonian0.2%(321)
Lebanese0.2%(264)
Canadian0.1%(256)
Ukrainian0.1%(243)
Belgian0.1%(240)
Austrian0.1%(230)
Nigerian0.1%(187)
West Indian0.1%(157)
Brazilian0.1%(143)
Slovene0.1%(100)
Portuguese0.1%(98)
Syrian0%(72)
Egyptian0%(56)
Iranian0%(32)
Armenian0%(28)
Ghanaian0%(19)
Turkish0%(17)
Jamaican0%(13)
Haitian0%(7)
Latvian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.1%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 22.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.0%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 88.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.6%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.4 min
+57%since 2000
from 18.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
81.0%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 84.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.5%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.7%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 7.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.9%
−3.1 ptssince 2011
from 65.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
72.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 71.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.2%
+8.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.9%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.5%
+0.6 ptssince 2012
from 10.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.0%
−6.4 ptssince 2013
from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
93.0%
+12.0 ptssince 2017
from 81.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 93.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.3%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 87.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
92.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2016
from 93.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2016
from 3.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.7%(23,261)
Married54.2%(38,533)
Widowed2.7%(1,884)
Divorced10.4%(7,354)
Women 15+
Never married26.1%(19,206)
Married52.5%(38,643)
Widowed9.8%(7,243)
Divorced11.5%(8,446)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.0%
−6.4 ptssince 2013
from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
64.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
75.7%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 78.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
33.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 29.1% 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)18.5%(1,508)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.6%(2,086)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.9%(2,767)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(389)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(88)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,156 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Porter County

Johnson County
Pop 174,262
Hampshire County
Pop 164,065
Kenton County
Pop 175,779
Martin County
Pop 166,272
Places similar to Porter County
Head to head

Compare Porter County to nearby counties

PORTER COUNTY VS
Lake County
Income$71,493−19%
Home value$230,600−18%
Population504,612+187%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTER COUNTY VS
LaPorte County
Income$71,055−19%
Home value$195,500−31%
Population111,294−37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTER COUNTY VS
Berrien County
Income$65,425−26%
Home value$224,300−20%
Population152,444−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTER COUNTY VS
Starke County
Income$63,960−27%
Home value$157,700−44%
Population23,425−87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Porter County, Indiana?

Porter County, Indiana has about 174,818 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Porter County, Indiana?

The typical household in Porter County, Indiana earns about $87,972 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Porter County, Indiana expensive?

In Porter County, Indiana, the median home is worth about $281,500, and the typical rent is about $1,219 a month.

How educated are people in Porter County, Indiana?

About 31.1% of adults age 25 and over in Porter County, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Porter County, Indiana?

About 9.6% of people in Porter County, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Porter County, Indiana grown since 1990?

Yes, Porter County, Indiana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 45,886 residents, a change of about 36 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →