Lake County vs St. Joseph County
A side-by-side comparison of Lake County and St. Joseph County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lake County and St. Joseph County are counties in Indiana. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Lake County has the higher population (498,990 vs 272,574 in St. Joseph County). Lake County has the higher median household income ($68,985 vs $64,885 in St. Joseph County). Lake County has the higher median home value ($214,700 vs $179,800 in St. Joseph County).
Population, income & housing
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 498,990 | 272,574 |
| Median age | 39.6 yrs | 36.7 yrs |
| Median household income | $68,985 | $64,885 |
| Median home value | $214,700 | $179,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,094 | $1,030 |
| Housing units | 216,330 | 118,329 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 68.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.9% | 32.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 5.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 485,707 → 498,990 (+2.7%) | 270,216 → 272,574 (+0.9%) |
| Median household income | $56,128 → $68,985 (+22.9%) | $52,769 → $64,885 (+23.0%) |
| Median home value | $149,500 → $214,700 (+43.6%) | $129,000 → $179,800 (+39.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $886 → $1,094 (+23.5%) | $793 → $1,030 (+29.9%) |
Lake County
485,707498,990
$56,128$68,985
$149,500$214,700
$886$1,094
St. Joseph County
270,216272,574
$52,769$64,885
$129,000$179,800
$793$1,030
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.5% | 17.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.3% | 11.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 13.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 12.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 11.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.4% | 12.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.5% | 9.9% |
| 75 and over | 6.9% | 6.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 52.0% | 69.6% |
| Black or African American | 22.9% | 12.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.6% | 4.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.5% | 10.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| High school graduate | 34.7% | 29.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 30.7% | 28.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.7% | 19.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 8.2% | 12.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.5% | 74.9% |
| Carpooled | 8.1% | 9.0% |
| Public transit | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Walked | 1.1% | 3.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| Worked from home | 7.2% | 9.7% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 71.5% | 74.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.5% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 8.8% | 9.5% |
| 20 or more units | 4.5% | 6.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.5% | 1.6% |
Poverty & households
| Lake County | St. Joseph County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| Average household size | 2.55 | 2.44 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1968 | 1968 |
Full profiles
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