Gary

Population: 68,604
Median household income: $37,380
Median home value: $85,300

Located in Lake County, Indiana, Gary is a community with a population of 68,604. The median household income of $37,380 is below the Lake County median ($68,985).

Between 2019 and 2023, Gary's population declined 9.7% from 76,010 to 68,604, while its median home value rose 29.0% from $66,100 to $85,300.

14.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 47.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 68,604
Median age: 36.4 yrs
Median household income: $37,380
Median home value: $85,300
Median gross rent: $975
Housing units: 37,963
Homeownership rate: 47.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 14.3%
Unemployment rate: 13.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

76,01068,604

Median household income

$31,936$37,380

Median home value

$66,100$85,300

Median gross rent

$785$975

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	76,010	$31,936	$66,100	$785
2020	75,486	$31,315	$68,400	$792
2021	69,739	$34,085	$70,600	$848
2022	69,136	$36,874	$81,800	$929
2023	68,604	$37,380	$85,300	$975

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 57.0%

5 to 1721.3%

18 to 247.8%

25 to 3412.0%

35 to 4411.7%

45 to 5410.1%

55 to 6411.4%

65 to 7411.5%

75 and over7.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	4,835	7.0%
5 to 17	14,593	21.3%
18 to 24	5,350	7.8%
25 to 34	8,266	12.0%
35 to 44	7,998	11.7%
45 to 54	6,956	10.1%
55 to 64	7,836	11.4%
65 to 74	7,909	11.5%
75 and over	4,861	7.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	7,095	10.3%
Black or African American	52,140	76.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	64	0.1%
Asian	228	0.3%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	38	0.1%
Some other race	334	0.5%
Two or more races	2,009	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6,696	9.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma14.0%

High school graduate37.3%

Some college or associate's34.4%

Bachelor's degree9.4%

Graduate or professional degree4.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	6,136	14.0%
High school graduate	16,346	37.3%
Some college or associate's	15,092	34.4%
Bachelor's degree	4,137	9.4%
Graduate or professional degree	2,115	4.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 26 min

Drove alone76.2%

Carpooled12.2%

Public transit2.6%

Walked0.5%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home5.4%

Other means2.9%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	16,531	76.2%
Carpooled	2,642	12.2%
Public transit	561	2.6%
Walked	110	0.5%
Bicycle	44	0.2%
Worked from home	1,174	5.4%
Other means	634	2.9%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,163	20.3%
15 to 29 min	8,562	41.7%
30 to 44 min	4,344	21.2%
45 to 59 min	1,707	8.3%
60+ min	1,746	8.5%

Households

Average household size: 2.48
Poverty rate: 32.9% (22,379 of 67,952)

	Count	Share
Family households	15,687	57.2%
Nonfamily households	11,745	42.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1957

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	27,432	72.3%
Vacant	10,531	27.7%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	12,994	47.4%
Renter-occupied	14,438	52.6%

1-unit, detached71.8%

1-unit, attached5.9%

2 to 4 units6.1%

5 to 19 units8.2%

20 or more units5.7%

Mobile home & other2.2%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	27,272	71.8%
1-unit, attached	2,255	5.9%
2 to 4 units	2,320	6.1%
5 to 19 units	3,094	8.2%
20 or more units	2,174	5.7%
Mobile home & other	848	2.2%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1827000
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 50 sq mi
Water area: 0.73 sq mi
Center point: 41.5907, -87.3471