Census-designated place · Indiana
Bass Lake, Indiana
Bass Lake, census-designated place, in Starke County, Indiana. Bass Lake had 1,384 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 983 (±293). GEOID 1803610.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,384
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 983 ±293
Median household income
$73,086
±$4,921 (90% margin)
Indiana: $71,957
Median home value
$324,600
±$101,261 (90% margin)
Indiana: $218,200
Median gross rent
$1,278
±$414 (90% margin)
Indiana: $1,062
Where is Bass Lake and what county is it in?
Bass Lake is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Starke County, Indiana. It covers 8.7 square miles of land, 159 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bass Lake lies mostly within California Township and reaches into North Bend Township and Washington Township (Starke County), towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bass Lake, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,384 residents in Bass Lake, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 983 (±293).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Bass Lake is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Bass Lake | Starke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 983 ±293 | 23,365 | −527 |
| Households | 485 ±128 | 8,983 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.03 ±0.33 | 2.59 | −0.87 |
| Housing units | 1,173 ±189 | 11,273 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bass Lake?
The median resident of Bass Lake is 56.2 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 97.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 1.7%.
| Measure | Bass Lake | Starke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.2 ±11.6 | 42.1 | +18.5 |
| Under 18 years | 5.7% ±4.4 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 33.9% ±10.2 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Male | 54.2% ±6.9 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 97.3% ±2.5 pts | 91.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9% ±3.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.2% ±4.3 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±3.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 20.9% ±9.8 pts | 19.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.6% ±6.4 pts | 7.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.0% ±4.3 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.8% ±8.9 pts | 12.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.8% ±5.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.1% ±7.3 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bass Lake earn?
Half of Bass Lake's 485 households earn less than $73,086 a year (±$4,921), against $63,960 in Starke County and $71,957 in Indiana. In 2015-2019 the median was $62,439 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $10,647 after inflation.
| Measure | Bass Lake | Starke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,086 ±$4,921 | $63,960 | +$10,647 |
| Mean household income | $85,158 ±$11,525 | $74,205 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,506 ±$5,993 | $29,104 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±42.6 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.6% ±2.3 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.6% ±2.3 pts | 84.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bass Lake?
Owners occupy 79.4% of Bass Lake's occupied homes and renters 20.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $324,600 by its owner (±$101,261). The median renter pays $1,278 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Bass Lake | Starke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $324,600 ±$101,261 | $157,700 | +$168,794 |
| Median gross rent | $1,278 ±$414 | $712 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 16.3% ±19.4 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,483 ±$417 | $1,152 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.4% ±11.6 pts | 83.0% | −14.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.6% ±11.6 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Housing units | 1,173 ±189 | 11,273 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.3 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±30.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 87.0% ±6.4 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.5% ±6.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.0% ±5.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.6% ±4.4 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.4% ±2.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Bass Lake work and get to work?
81.8% of Bass Lake's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 38.6 minutes.
| Measure | Bass Lake | Starke County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.6% ±11.1 pts | 55.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 16.6% ±11.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.8% ±12.5 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.1% ±10.7 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±8.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.9% ±8.1 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 38.6 min ±9.9 | 29.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bass Lake?
No census tract lies mostly in Bass Lake; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9539Starke County | 2,119 | $72,413 |
| Tract 9538Starke County | 3,710 | $58,295 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bass Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Bass Lake compare with other places in Indiana?
Bass Lake ranks 509th of 1,072 places in Indiana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 1,048th | 1,088 |
| Residents per square mile | 532nd | 1,088 |
| Median household income | 509th | 1,072 |
| Per capita income | 259th | 1,087 |
| Median home value | 76th | 1,075 |
| Median gross rent | 90th | 904 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 384th | 1,029 |
| Median age | 20th | 1,083 |
| Owner-occupied share | 593rd | 1,087 |
| Travel time to work | 39th | 1,088 |
Bass Lake's figures with every place in Indiana (CSV)
Every place in Indiana, sortable · Compare Bass Lake with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bass Lake?
27 of the 57 figures for Bass Lake on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bass Lake are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.