Lake County, Indiana Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 2nd-largest in Indiana

The population of Lake County, Indiana is 498,990 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 2nd-largest county in Indiana. The median household income is $68,985, the median home value is $214,700, and the median age is 39.6.

The population of Lake County has grown 1.4% since 2010 (495,972 → 502,955), a +0.10% annualized rate.

Lake County within Indiana · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

498,990

Population

+0.10%

Annual growth

1000

People / sq mi

$68,985

Median Income

$214,700

Median Home Value

Lake County covers 499 sq mi of land at 1000.2 people per square mile.

About Lake County, IN

Lake County is a county in Indiana with a population of 498,990. It ranks #2 among counties in Indiana by population. The median age is 39.6, in line with the national median. The population is 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

The median household income in Lake County is $68,985, below the US median of $74,580. 11.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $214,700, with monthly rent averaging $1,094. The homeownership rate of 70.9% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Lake County reflects 24.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 7.2% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 28.8 minutes each way.

Lake County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Lake County had a population of 495,972 in 2010 and 502,955 in 2024, a 1.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 502,955 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.10%.

502,955

Population (2024)

495,972

Population (2010)

502,955

Peak (2024)

0.10%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	495,972	-	-	estimate
2011	495,035	-937	-0.19%	estimate
2012	493,511	-1,524	-0.31%	estimate
2013	491,909	-1,602	-0.32%	estimate
2014	491,259	-650	-0.13%	estimate
2015	488,195	-3,064	-0.62%	estimate
2016	486,381	-1,814	-0.37%	estimate
2017	484,834	-1,547	-0.32%	estimate
2018	484,918	+84	+0.02%	estimate
2019	486,244	+1,326	+0.27%	estimate
2020	498,963	+12,719	+2.62%	estimate
2021	499,319	+356	+0.07%	estimate
2022	500,065	+746	+0.15%	estimate
2023	500,591	+526	+0.11%	estimate
2024	502,955	+2,364	+0.47%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	57.2%
Black or African American	23.2%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.4%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.6

Median Age

51.3%

Female

48.7%

Male

17.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.8%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

6.9%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

5.9%

25–34

12.2%

35–44

12.9%

45–54

12.4%

55–59

6.7%

60–64

6.7%

65–74

10.5%

75–84

5.0%

85+

1.9%

Children (under 15): 19.1% · Seniors (65+): 17.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$68,985$-1,066 vs state
Mean household income	$90,364
Per-capita income	$35,973
Poverty rate	11.2%+2.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.9%
Employment-to-population	57.3%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

23.7%

Manufacturing

14.8%

Finance & real estate

9.4%

Education & health care

9.1%

Retail trade

7.7%

Construction

7.4%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.9%

Information

4.6%

The largest employment sector in Lake County is professional & business services, accounting for 23.7% of workers.

How residents commute

1.5%

Drive alone

1.1%

Carpool

80.5%

Public transit

7.2%

Work from home

28.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$214,700+$13,100 vs state

Median home value

$1,094

Median rent

70.9%

Homeownership rate

216,330

Total housing units

89.4%

Occupied

10.6%

Vacant

29.1%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.2%

With health insurance

93.2%

With broadband internet

37.6%

Foreign-born

6.0%

Veterans (18+)

13.4%

With a disability

85.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

90.2%

High School+

24.9%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Indiana

Indianapolis (882,043)Fort Wayne (266,235)Evansville (116,441)South Bend (102,866)Fishers (100,918)Carmel (100,501)Bloomington (78,791)Hammond (77,098)Noblesville (71,940)Lafayette (70,650)All Indiana cities →

Other counties in Indiana

Marion County (971,822)Allen County (388,791)Hamilton County (357,176)St. Joseph County (272,574)Elkhart County (206,868)Tippecanoe County (187,399)Vanderburgh County (179,908)Hendricks County (179,379)Porter County (174,150)Johnson County (163,983)All Indiana counties →

Part of Indiana

Indiana demographic profile All Indiana data →

Metro areas in Indiana

Chicago (9,359,555)Cincinnati (2,255,257)Indianapolis (2,106,327)Louisville/Jefferson County (1,361,847)Fort Wayne (451,440)South Bend (324,180)Evansville (269,721)Lafayette (225,019)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Common questions about Lake County, IN

What is the population of Lake County, IN?What is the median household income in Lake County, IN?What is the median home value in Lake County, IN?What are the demographics of Lake County, IN?What is the cost of living in Lake County, IN?Is Lake County, IN growing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Lake County, Indiana has a population of 498,990 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 2nd-largest county in Indiana. Population density is 1000 people per square mile.

The population of Lake County has grown 1.4% since 2010 (495,972 → 502,955), a +0.10% annualized rate.

The median household income in Lake County, Indiana is $68,985, with mean (average) household income of $90,364 and per-capita income of $35,973. 11.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Lake County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (57.2%), Black or African American (23.2%), Hispanic or Latino (1.4%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Lake County, Indiana is 39.6 years. Residents are 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The median home value in Lake County is $214,700 and median monthly rent is $1,094. 70.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 216,330 total housing units, 10.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Lake County, Indiana is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 23.7% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.9%.

Indianapolis is among the largest cities associated with Lake County, Indiana, with a population of 882,043.