The Town FilesLa Porte, Indiana
City in LaPorte County · population 22,471 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,500
- Household income
- $59,307
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 34.6
La Porte is a city of 22,471 people in LaPorte County, Indiana. The median home is worth $157,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 94% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 92% of Indiana towns, hipper than 92% of Indiana towns.
How La Porte ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in La Porte is worth $157,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $59,307, which is more affordable than 42% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $948 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Porte | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $948 | $888 |
| Median household income | $59,307 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in La Porte
| People | La Porte | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in La Porte
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 17.3°F. About 42.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.2 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Porte since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1976 about 0.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 27, 1991.
Severe weather in LaPorte County since 1996
LaPorte County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in LaPorte County
LaPorte County had 40,632 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,978 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in La Porte itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in La Porte
9 public schools with 5,469 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LaPorte High School | PK-12 | 1,851 | 16.7 |
| LaPorte Middle School | 7-8 | 899 | 13.6 |
| Kesling Intermediate School | 5-6 | 887 | 13.6 |
| F Willard Crichfield Elementary | PK-4 | 435 | 18.9 |
| Handley Elementary School | PK-4 | 377 | 16.4 |
| Lincoln Elementary School | PK-4 | 342 | 13.2 |
| Hailmann Elementary School | PK-4 | 328 | 15.6 |
| Riley Elementary School | PK-4 | 300 | 15.8 |
| LaPorte Juvenile Correctional | 5-12 | 50 | 6.3 |
Towns near La Porte
- Michigan City, IN10.4 mi · 32,075 people · home $143,100
- Westville, IN11.1 mi · 5,257 people · home $139,300
- Chikaming, MI17.5 mi · 2,778 people · home $366,900
- Chesterton, IN17.6 mi · 14,241 people · home $300,900
- Porter, IN19.0 mi · 5,210 people · home $267,700
- Valparaiso, IN19.7 mi · 34,151 people · home $267,300
- Bertrand, MI21.7 mi · 2,611 people · home $297,100
- South Haven, IN22.6 mi · 5,084 people · home $178,200
La Porte questions
Is La Porte, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Porte scores better for retirees than 24% of Indiana towns and quieter than 14%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.6).
How much does a house cost in La Porte?
The median owner-occupied home in La Porte is valued at $157,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,307, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $948 a month.
What is the weather like in La Porte?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 17.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.5 inches of precipitation a year and 65.2 inches of snow.
Does La Porte get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Porte since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 1976. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)