Merrillville

Population: 36,343
Median household income: $64,791
Median home value: $194,000

Merrillville, a community in Lake County, Indiana, has 36,343 residents. The median household income of $64,791 is below the Lake County median ($68,985).

Between 2019 and 2023, Merrillville's population grew 4.2% from 34,889 to 36,343, while its median home value rose 42.5% from $136,100 to $194,000.

The median resident is 41.3 years old. The largest age group is 5 to 17, 16.9% of residents.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 36,343
Median age: 41.3 yrs
Median household income: $64,791
Median home value: $194,000
Median gross rent: $1,304
Housing units: 16,255
Homeownership rate: 68.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 25.2%
Unemployment rate: 6.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

34,88936,343

Median household income

$60,803$64,791

Median home value

$136,100$194,000

Median gross rent

$1,082$1,304

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	34,889	$60,803	$136,100	$1,082
2020	34,871	$63,381	$140,600	$1,075
2021	36,196	$61,230	$151,800	$1,135
2022	36,214	$62,221	$176,600	$1,240
2023	36,343	$64,791	$194,000	$1,304

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

Age distribution

Under 54.5%

5 to 1716.9%

18 to 249.5%

25 to 3411.4%

35 to 4412.0%

45 to 5411.9%

55 to 6413.2%

65 to 7412.8%

75 and over7.7%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,630	4.5%
5 to 17	6,126	16.9%
18 to 24	3,465	9.5%
25 to 34	4,152	11.4%
35 to 44	4,378	12.0%
45 to 54	4,316	11.9%
55 to 64	4,798	13.2%
65 to 74	4,665	12.8%
75 and over	2,813	7.7%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	12,466	34.3%
Black or African American	16,209	44.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	0	0.0%
Asian	405	1.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	325	0.9%
Two or more races	1,275	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	5,663	15.6%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.8%

High school graduate36.1%

Some college or associate's30.9%

Bachelor's degree15.8%

Graduate or professional degree9.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,958	7.8%
High school graduate	9,065	36.1%
Some college or associate's	7,760	30.9%
Bachelor's degree	3,976	15.8%
Graduate or professional degree	2,363	9.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 32 min

Drove alone80.4%

Carpooled6.0%

Public transit1.4%

Walked1.5%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home8.3%

Other means2.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	13,487	80.4%
Carpooled	1,010	6.0%
Public transit	237	1.4%
Walked	249	1.5%
Bicycle	4	0.0%
Worked from home	1,391	8.3%
Other means	395	2.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,597	16.9%
15 to 29 min	5,718	37.2%
30 to 44 min	3,590	23.3%
45 to 59 min	1,127	7.3%
60+ min	2,350	15.3%

Households

Average household size: 2.32
Poverty rate: 13.7% (4,890 of 35,794)

	Count	Share
Family households	8,514	55.2%
Nonfamily households	6,911	44.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1978

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	15,425	94.9%
Vacant	830	5.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	10,573	68.5%
Renter-occupied	4,852	31.5%

1-unit, detached61.5%

1-unit, attached8.2%

2 to 4 units3.7%

5 to 19 units14.5%

20 or more units10.5%

Mobile home & other1.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	9,995	61.5%
1-unit, attached	1,335	8.2%
2 to 4 units	607	3.7%
5 to 19 units	2,364	14.5%
20 or more units	1,706	10.5%
Mobile home & other	248	1.5%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1848528
Type (LSAD): 43
Land area: 33 sq mi
Water area: 0.05 sq mi
Center point: 41.4727, -87.3181