Lake County, Indiana

Lake County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2020, it had a population of 498,700 people, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The main city, called the county seat, is Crown Point.

The county is located in Northwest Indiana and is part of the bigger Chicago metropolitan area. It has a mix of cities, towns, and open spaces. To the north, it is bordered by Lake Michigan, and it includes part of the beautiful Indiana Dunes.

One special area in Lake County is Marktown, a planned community in East Chicago created by Clayton Mark for his workers. This place shows how communities were built to support people who worked in factories and industries long ago.

History

Lake County was originally home to the Potawatomi people. It was officially created by European settlers on February 16, 1837. Before that, the land was part of La Porte County and then Porter County. The county was named for its location near Lake Michigan. Its first county seat was Liverpool, but later it was moved to Crown Point.

In the early 1900s, big factories such as Inland Steel Company and U.S. Steel opened, bringing many jobs. This caused a huge increase in population, with people coming from many places, including Europe, Mexico, and different parts of the United States. By 1930, over 260,000 people lived there.

The Great Depression hit Lake County hard, and the economy struggled until World War II brought new jobs. After the war, more people moved in, but tensions rose in some areas. In the 1970s, many factories closed, leading to big drops in jobs and population. Although the area began to recover in the 1990s, it still faces challenges with urban decline and traffic. Today, many people in Lake County work in Chicago and commute back home each day.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Lake County has a total area of 626.56 square miles (1,622.8 km²), with 498.96 square miles (1,292.3 km²) being land and 127.60 square miles (330.5 km²) being water. It is the second-largest county in Indiana by total area and has the largest water area among all counties in the state.

The northern and southern parts of Lake County, north of U.S. 30 and south of Lowell, are mostly low and flat, except for some sand ridges and dunes. These areas were once marshy and needed to be drained. The lowest point in the county is along the Lake Michigan shoreline, at 585 feet (178 m). The central part of the county is higher and hillier, rising to the peak of the Valparaiso Moraine. The highest point, at 801 feet (244 m), is in northeastern Winfield Township. From there, the land slopes down into the Kankakee Outwash Plain until reaching the Kankakee River.

Adjacent counties

• Cook County, Illinois (northwest)
• Will County, Illinois (west)
• Kankakee County, Illinois (southwest)
• Porter County (east)
• Jasper County (southeast)
• Newton County (south)

National protected area

• Indiana Dunes National Park – also in LaPorte and Porter counties

Transit

• East Chicago Transit
• Gary Public Transportation Corporation (Broadway Metro Express)

Airports

• Gary/Chicago International Airport
• Griffith-Merrillville Airport

Major highways

Interstate 65 in Lake County is called the Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. Interstate 80/94/US 6 is the Frank Borman Expressway from the Illinois state line east to the Indiana Toll Road interchange in the eastern portion of the county. Interstate 94 has been referred to as the Chicago-Detroit Industrial Freeway. US 6 is part of the Grand Army of the Republic Highway. Broadway (Indiana 53) is also the Carolyn Mosby Memorial Highway. Indiana 51 is known for its entire length as the Adam Benjamin Memorial Highway. US 30 is part of the historic Lincoln Highway. US 12 from Gary eastward is part of Dunes Highway. Cline Avenue (Indiana 912) from US 12 north and westward is known as the Highway Construction Workers Memorial Highway.

• I-65
• I-80
• 
  I-90 Toll
• I-94
• US 6
• US 12
• US 20
• US 30
• US 41
• US 231
• SR 2
• SR 51
• SR 53
• SR 55
• SR 130 – former US 30
• SR 312 – former US 12
• SR 912 – former US 12

Railroads

• Amtrak
• Canadian National Railway
• Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
• Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
• CSX Transportation
• Gary Railway
• Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
• Norfolk Southern Railway
• South Shore Line

Municipalities

Lake County has many places where people live. As of the 2020 Census, the cities include:

Cities

• Crown Point – 33,899
• East Chicago – 26,370
• Gary – 69,093
• Hammond – 77,879
• Hobart – 29,752
• Lake Station – 13,235
• Whiting – 4,559

Towns

• Cedar Lake – 14,106
• Dyer – 16,517
• Griffith – 16,528
• Highland – 23,984
• Lowell – 10,680
• Merrillville – 36,444
• Munster – 23,894
• New Chicago – 1,999
• Schererville – 29,646
• Schneider – 269
• St. John – 20,303
• Winfield – 7,181

Census-designated places

• Lake Dalecarlia – 1,332
• Lakes of the Four Seasons – 3,936
  (7,091 including portion in Porter County)
• Leroy
• Ross
• Shelby – 453

Unincorporated communities

• Ainsworth
• Belshaw
• Brunswick
• Creston
• Deep River
• Deer Creek
• Klaasville
• Kreitzburg
• Leroy
• Liverpool
• New Elliott
• Orchard Grove
• Palmer
• Range Line
• Ross
• Southeast Grove

Townships

The 11 townships of Lake County, with their populations as of the 2020 Census, are:

• Calumet – 91,970
• Cedar Creek – 12,725
• Center – 38,630
• Eagle Creek – 1,719
• Hanover – 18,214
• Hobart – 40,652
• North – 156,686
• Ross – 48,529
• St. John – 68,972
• West Creek – 7,676
• Winfield – 12,927

Economy

In 2010, manufacturing was the biggest job provider in Lake County, with over 45,000 people working in factories. Healthcare and public administration followed closely, each employing around 40,000 people. Other important job areas included retail, food services, and construction.

The county’s economy was worth nearly $25 billion in 2010. Manufacturing contributed the most, adding over $5.8 billion to the economy. Healthcare, public administration, and retail also played big roles. Some of the largest employers in Lake County included Ameristar Casino, BP Whiting Refinery, Canadian National Railway, Cargill, Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor Works, Community Hospital, Franciscan Alliance, Inc., Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, Horseshoe Casino, Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus, NiSource, Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza, St. Catherine Hospital, St. Mary Medical Center, Times Media Company, Unilever, and U.S. Steel Gary Works.

Education

Lake County in Indiana has many schools. There are 16 different groups that help run public schools here, more than any other county in the state. These groups include schools in towns like Crown Point, Gary, Griffith, and many others.

Besides public schools, there are also private schools. Some of these are run by a group called the Diocese of Gary and include schools like Andrean High School and Bishop Noll Institute. Other private schools include St. Paul's Lutheran School and Trinity Lutheran School.

The county is also home to several colleges and universities. Some of these schools are Calumet College of St. Joseph, Indiana University Northwest, and Purdue University Northwest.

Public libraries

Lake County has seven public library systems to help people read and learn. Some of the libraries include Crown Point Community Library, East Chicago Public Library, and Gary Public Library, each with several branches in different towns. Other libraries serve areas such as Hammond, Merrillville, Lowell, and Whiting.

Hospitals

Lake County, Indiana has several hospitals that provide care to its residents. Some of the larger hospitals include Community Hospital in Munster with 454 beds, and Methodist Hospitals with 536 beds spread across two campuses in Gary and Merrillville. Other hospitals include Franciscan Health facilities in Crown Point, Dyer, and Munster, as well as St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.

There are also smaller facilities such as NW Indiana ER and Hospital in Hammond with just 6 beds, and UChicago Medicine Crown Point which is set to open in April 2024 with 8 beds. These hospitals offer various levels of care to meet the needs of the community.

Media

The Times, based in Munster, is the largest daily newspaper in Lake County and Northwest Indiana and the second largest in the state. Lake County is also served by the Post-Tribune, a daily newspaper based in Merrillville.

Lakeshore Public Television operates WYIN-TV Gary on channel 56 and is the local PBS station in the Chicago television market.

These eight broadcast radio stations serve Lake County and are part of the Chicago market:

• WJOB (1230 AM) – Hammond
• WWCA (1270 AM) – Gary
• WLTH (1370 AM) – Gary
• WLPR (89.1 FM) – Lowell
• WRTW (90.5 FM) – Crown Point
• WPWX (92.3 FM) – Hammond
• WXRD (103.9 FM) – Crown Point
• WZVN (107.1 FM) – Lowell

Climate and weather

Lake County's weather changes with the seasons. In Lowell, temperatures usually range from about 14 °F in January to around 84 °F in July. Sometimes, temperatures can get much colder or hotter, like once reaching -29 °F or 104 °F.

Rainfall varies through the year, with less rain in winter and more in spring and summer. Winter often brings extra snow near the lake. Summer usually has many thunderstorms, with strong winds happening about once every three years.

Government

See also: Government of Indiana

Lake County's government is set up by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. It has a few main parts.

The County Council makes the rules. Its members are chosen from different areas of the county and serve for four years. They decide on things like salaries, budgets, and taxes.

The Board of Commissioners carries out the council's decisions. There are three commissioners, each serving four years. One of them leads the group. They handle everyday tasks and collect money for the county.

There is also a small claims court for some smaller legal matters. The judge serves a four-year term and must be part of the Indiana Bar Association.

Many other important jobs in the county are chosen by voters, like the sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these officials also serves a four-year term.

Politics

Lake County in Indiana often votes differently from the rest of the state. While Indiana usually supports Republican candidates, Lake County has usually supported Democratic candidates because it is close to the city of Chicago. However, in recent years, more people in Lake County have started to support Republican candidates.

Lake County is part of Indiana's 1st congressional district, which is represented by a Democrat. The county is also split among several districts in the state senate and house of representatives, with a mix of Democratic and Republican representatives.

2008 presidential primary

During the 2008 presidential primary, Lake County was one of the last to share its results. This was because many people had voted early or by mail, which made counting the votes take longer. Lake County also uses a different time zone than most of Indiana, which caused polls to close later. The race between two candidates was very close, and it wasn’t clear who would win until all the votes were finally counted.

Culture and contemporary life

Lake County has many places for fun and arts. You can listen to the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra at Living Hope Church in Merrillville, or watch plays at Theatre at the Center in Munster.

The area also has exciting spots like Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, and Pierogi Fest in Whiting. Plus, you can shop at Southlake Mall in Hobart or visit Three Floyds Brewing in Munster. Fans of baseball can cheer for the Gary SouthShore RailCats, who play at U.S. Steel Yard in Gary.

Recreation

Lake County, Indiana, has many places to play and enjoy the outdoors. You can visit fun spots like Bellaboo's Play and Discovery Center in Lake Station or explore nature at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond. There are also parks and trails, such as Deep River County Park in Hobart and Oak Ridge Prairie & Oak Savannah Trail in Griffith.

The area also includes parts of Indiana Dunes National Park, where you can discover beautiful prairies and learn about nature at the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education in Gary. Whether you like hiking, playing at a waterpark, or just enjoying the outdoors, Lake County has something for everyone.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

Racial / Ethnic Profile of places in Lake County, Indiana (2020 census)

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 498,700. The median age was 39.5 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 55.2% White, 24.9% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 16.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 16.1% were German, 11.1% were Irish, 9.6% were Polish, 5.4% were English, 4.8% were Italian and 3.7% were American.