Porter County, Indiana
Named in 1836 for War of 1812 Commodore David Porter
County Seat: Valparaiso
Largest City: Portage (2025 population: 38,634)
Population per Square Mile: 420.97
Square Miles: 418.20
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 173,215 | 10 | 2.7% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 176,049 | 10 | 2.5% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 178,658 | 11 | 2.5% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.6% | 17 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2024-2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 727 | 11 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 91 | 20 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -196 | 85 | -2.3% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 8,240 | 11 | 4.7% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 27,617 | 11 | 15.7% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 15,529 | 13 | 8.8% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 43,725 | 11 | 24.8% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 44,561 | 8 | 25.3% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 36,377 | 6 | 20.7% | 18.4% |
| Median Age | 42.1 | | | Median Age = 38.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2025 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 1,101 | 8 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 2,635 | 14 | 1.5% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 9,687 | 13 | 5.5% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 93 | 14 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 155,931 | 7 | 88.6% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 6,602 | 13 | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 153,818 | 11 | 87.4% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 22,231 | 7 | 12.6% | 9.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2024 (Includes detail not shown below) | 68,639 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 13,751 | 9 | 20.0% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 23,104 | 7 | 33.7% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 5,333 | 10 | 7.8% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 18,658 | 10 | 27.2% | 29.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2025 (estimate) | 74,255 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 72,662 | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 53,352 | 6 | 73.4% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $281,500 | 6 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 15,287 | 14 | 21.0% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $1,050 | 5 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2025/2026 Total Reported) | 26,931 | 9 | 2.4% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 25,023 | 9 | 2.5% | 1,010,042 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 122,392 | 9 | 2.7% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 94% | 7 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 31.1% | 14 | | 29.5% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2024 | $69,285 | 8 | 108.1% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 88,795 | 7 | 123.4% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 8.5% | 79 | 70.2% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 9.8% | 82 | 62.0% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 40 | 23 | 0.8% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 8,692 | 15 | 1.5% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 8,590 | 13 | 1.8% | 476,608 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education
| Health and Vital Statistics | Number | Rank of | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 1,670 | 11 | 2.1% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 48 | 21 | 1.2% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 1,572 | 8 | 2.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 89,386 | 11 | 2.5% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 85,843 | 11 | 2.5% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 3,543 | 8 | 2.8% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.0 | 17 | 108.1% | 3.7 |
| August 2026 Unemployment Rate | 3.8 | 8 | 105.6% | 3.6 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2024 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 87,895 | 100.0% | $5,831,778 | 100.0% | $66,349 |
| Wage and Salary | 66,968 | 76.2% | $4,195,858 | 71.9% | $62,655 |
| Farm Proprietors | 382 | 0.4% | $8,923 | 0.2% | $23,359 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 20,545 | 23.4% | $706,141 | 12.1% | $34,370 |
| Farm | 455 | 0.5% | $13,799 | 0.2% | $30,327 |
| Nonfarm | 87,440 | 99.5% | $5,817,979 | 99.8% | $66,537 |
| Private | 80,160 | 91.2% | $5,321,212 | 91.2% | $66,382 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 7,381 | 8.4% | $216,501 | 3.7% | $29,332 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 1,157 | 1.3% | $26,956 | 0.5% | $23,298 |
| Construction | 6,388 | 7.3% | $592,320 | 10.2% | $92,724 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 9,870 | 11.2% | $783,465 | 13.4% | $79,378 |
| Information | 1,129 | 1.3% | $84,017 | 1.4% | $74,417 |
| Manufacturing | 9,816 | 11.2% | $1,125,830 | 19.3% | $114,693 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 4,522 | 5.1% | $432,241 | 7.4% | $95,586 |
| Retail Trade | 9,312 | 10.6% | $350,088 | 6.0% | $37,595 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 4,895 | 5.6% | $352,607 | 6.0% | $72,034 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 22,392* | 25.5%* | $1,013,031* | 17.4%* | $45,241* |
| Government | 7,280 | 8.3% | $496,767 | 8.5% | $68,237 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
| Residential Building Permits, 2025 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 564 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $205,175 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 564 | 100.0% | 68.4% | $205,175 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% | $0 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 29.3% | $0 | $1,407,931 |
Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Cities and Towns in Porter County
| Name | Population
in 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Beverly Shores | 601 | 0.3% |
| Burns Harbor | 2,146 | 1.2% |
| Chesterton | 14,635 | 8.3% |
| Dune Acres | 230 | 0.1% |
| Hebron | 3,775 | 2.1% |
| Kouts | 2,048 | 1.2% |
| Ogden Dunes | 1,163 | 0.7% |
| Portage | 38,634 | 21.9% |
| Porter | 5,167 | 2.9% |
| Town of Pines | 590 | 0.3% |
| Valparaiso | 35,177 | 20.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers
