ZIP Code 46342, Indiana
ZIP Code 46342 profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
ZCTA5 46342 is a 5-digit ZIP Code area located in Lake County / Porter County, Indiana. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 32,224. The land area covers 35.04 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 32,224 | ±799 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Median Age | 39.4 yrs | ±1.9 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 13,053 | ±550 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 13,931 | ±645 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 13,053 | ±550 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 878 | ±285 |
| Median Home Value | $213,000 | ±$10,981 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,132 | ±$77 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $75,521 | ±$7,872 |
| Per Capita Income | $36,214 | ±$2,437 |
| Poverty Rate | 11.2% | ±3.4% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 3,577 | ±1,082 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | ±1.4% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 15,559 | ±865 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 95.1% | ±5.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GUS Population: 502,955 (2024)
ID: 163440
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: COMMISSIONERS CONSULTANT
2293 N MAIN ST, CROWN POINT IN 46307-1867
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Nearby | KG-12 | Gary, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-06 | East Chicago, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-06 | Hammond, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-08 | Chicago, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-05 | Lake Station, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-05 | Highland, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-06 | Hammond, IN | |
| Career and Technical School Nearby | 06-12 | Hammond, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-08 | Gary, IN | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-04 | Chesterton, IN |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lil Lou's Beauty and Barber College
|
College Vocational | 4.8 mi away | 4853 Broadway Street, Gary, IN, 46409-2404 |
2198849954120
|
|
HOBART BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 1.2 mi away | 100 NORTH MAIN STREET, HOBART, IN, 46342 |
(219) 942-2243
|
|
Indiana University-Northwest
|
College | 5.5 mi away | 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN, 46408-1197 |
8889687486
|
|
LAKE STATION-NEW CHICAGO BRANCH
|
Library | 3.7 mi away | 2007 CENTRAL AVENUE, LAKE STATION, IN, 46405 |
(219) 962-2409
|
|
Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville
|
College Vocational | 5.7 mi away | 7990 Broadway, Merrillville, IN, 46410-5540 |
2197939246
|
|
J.F. KENNEDY BRANCH
|
Library | 5.1 mi away | 3953 BROADWAY, GARY, IN, 46409 |
(219) 887-8112
|
|
Denmark College
|
College Vocational | 6.7 mi away | 8101 Polo Club Dr, Merrillville, IN, 46410 |
2197369999
|
|
PORTAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 5.1 mi away | 2665 IRVING STREET, PORTAGE, IN, 46368 |
(219) 462-0524
|
|
Stellar Career College-Crown Point
|
College | 8.7 mi away | 5521 Lincoln Highway Suite 301, Crown Point, IN, 46307-1117 |
2199005700
|
|
SOUTH HAVEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 5.4 mi away | 403 WEST 700 NORTH, VALPARAISO, IN, 46385 |
(219) 462-0524
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at VALPARAISO WTR WKS, IN US, located 10.7 miles from ZCTA5 46342. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32.1° | 17.6° | 24.8° | 2.38" | 14.6" |
| February | 36.4° | 21.4° | 28.9° | 2.24" | 5.5" |
| March | 47.6° | 29.1° | 38.3° | 2.63" | 6.7" |
| April | 60.7° | 39.1° | 49.9° | 3.74" | 1.2" |
| May | 71.2° | 49.3° | 60.3° | 4.59" | 0.0" |
| June | 79.7° | 58.5° | 69.1° | 4.33" | 0.0" |
| July | 82.9° | 63.1° | 73.0° | 4.10" | 0.0" |
| August | 81.0° | 61.7° | 71.3° | 3.57" | 0.0" |
| September | 75.2° | 54.3° | 64.8° | 2.92" | 0.0" |
| October | 63.6° | 44.0° | 53.8° | 3.93" | 0.3" |
| November | 49.1° | 33.5° | 41.3° | 3.26" | 2.3" |
| December | 36.6° | 23.7° | 30.1° | 2.58" | 9.4" |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart city | City | 1.7 mi | — |
| New Chicago town | Town | 3.1 mi | — |
| Wheeler CDP | CDP | 3.8 mi | — |
| Lake Station city | City | 4.1 mi | — |
| Merrillville town | Town | 4.9 mi | — |
| Salt Creek Commons CDP | CDP | 5.4 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 46342. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.