The Town FilesPorter County, Indiana
174,818 people. The median home is worth $281,500 (typical Indiana town: $150,400) and the median household earns $87,972.
Towns in Porter County
| Town | People | Median home | Income | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage | 37,926 | $224,200 | $76,276 | 39.8 |
| Valparaiso | 34,151 | $267,300 | $69,872 | 37.0 |
| Chesterton | 14,241 | $300,900 | $91,060 | 38.4 |
| Porter | 5,210 | $267,700 | $74,542 | 43.7 |
| South Haven | 5,084 | $178,200 | $76,003 | 36.6 |
| Hebron | 3,755 | $202,800 | $73,812 | 44.1 |
| Shorewood Forest | 3,033 | $479,100 | $165,972 | 47.2 |
People and housing
| Porter County | Typical Indiana town | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,219 | $888 |
| Median household income | $87,972 | $61,953 |
| Median age | 40.8 | 38.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 11.6% |
Jobs and pay
63,768 jobs in 2024, average pay $58,217 a year.
Storms since 1996
NOAA recorded 585 storm events in Porter County from 1996 to 2026, with 28 deaths.
Federal disaster declarations
Porter County has been included in 16 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 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | DR-4363: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).