The Town FilesLake County, Indiana
500,379 people. The median home is worth $230,600 (typical Indiana town: $150,400) and the median household earns $71,493.
Towns in Lake County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond | 77,879 | $159,900 | $55,504 | 36.0 |
| Gary | 69,093 | $94,700 | $38,731 | 36.5 |
| Merrillville | 36,444 | $211,400 | $67,587 | 42.4 |
| Crown Point | 33,899 | $294,800 | $101,686 | 39.8 |
| Hobart | 29,752 | $215,200 | $75,160 | 39.5 |
| Schererville | 29,646 | $314,900 | $89,466 | 44.9 |
| East Chicago | 26,370 | $105,400 | $42,125 | 36.5 |
| Highland | 23,984 | $233,300 | $78,062 | 44.6 |
| Munster | 23,894 | $334,300 | $110,187 | 45.0 |
| St. John | 20,303 | $406,300 | $131,467 | 42.3 |
| Griffith | 16,528 | $210,100 | $76,636 | 37.5 |
| Dyer | 16,517 | $322,200 | $107,159 | 47.1 |
| Cedar Lake | 14,106 | $282,000 | $83,381 | 40.2 |
| Lake Station | 13,235 | $137,400 | $59,591 | 33.5 |
| Lowell | 10,680 | $248,000 | $84,024 | 39.2 |
| Winfield | 7,181 | $409,500 | $135,870 | 37.6 |
| Lakes of the Four Seasons | 7,091 | $337,300 | $121,750 | 41.6 |
| Whiting | 4,559 | $198,900 | $71,708 | 33.5 |
People and housing
| Lake County | Typical Indiana town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,131 | $888 |
| Median household income | $71,493 | $61,953 |
| Median age | 39.7 | 38.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 11.6% |
Jobs and pay
191,633 jobs in 2024, average pay $61,200 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 799 storm events in Lake County from 1996 to 2026, with 11 deaths.
Federal disaster declarations
Lake County has been included in 24 FEMA declarations since 1953.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).