City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Porter, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Porter - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,208
Residents
$74,155
Median income
$259,700
Median home
$1,317
Median rent (state)

Porter - the verdict

Nationally, Porter sits in the 55th percentile for household income and the 96th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

55th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
96th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Porter, IN

Porter is a small town in Indiana, home to 5,208 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Porter brings in $74,155 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.5%. Home values in Porter run a median of $259,700, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. About 26.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 5 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier. Porter reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 211.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Indiana at 93.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,317 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Indiana's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 81.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

5,208 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$74,155 /yr

Poverty 1.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Porter compare to other US cities?

Where Porter sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities
Safety 96% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Indiana, Porter ranks #4 of 109 Indiana cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Porter against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Indiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Indiana-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Porter's strongest outlier among Indiana cities

Among the 771 Indiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Porter ranks #79 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Porter only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#221 of 766
71st percentile in Indiana
Median Gross Rent
#118 of 850
81st percentile in Indiana
Median Home Value
#79 of 771
90th percentile in Indiana
Poverty Rate
#614 of 849
27th percentile in Indiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#178 of 850
79th percentile in Indiana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Indiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

55thIncome percentile
96thSafety percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income · 96th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Porter's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Porter's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 66 Avg. percentile National median
Porter's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Porter's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$259,700 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Porter $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Porter, IN Porter, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Porter, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Porter, IN median $74,155/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Porter, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Porter, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,208
Median Income
$74,155
Median Home Value
$259,700
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
211.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
19.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
192.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,160 residents5,180 residents5,200 residents5,220 residents5,240 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,203 residents 5,167 residents ▼ -0.7%
Porter's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 13
2020 16
2021 9
2022 5
2023 7
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
12.0%

Based on 2,490 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Porter sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,317/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Tipton
5,255 people
Lawrenceburg
5,155 people
Linton
5,153 people
Alexandria
5,145 people
Westville
5,291 people
Pendleton
5,115 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Porter's 5,208 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chadron, NE
5,207 people
Pleasant Run, OH
5,211 people
Nassau Bay, TX
5,211 people
Crystal Lake, FL
5,203 people
Brady, TX
5,215 people
Avondale, LA
5,200 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Porter's $74,155 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Haslett, MI
$74,164 median income
Cedar Falls, IA
$74,165 median income
Matamoras, PA
$74,145 median income
Red Mesa, AZ
$74,167 median income
Blairstown, IA
$74,167 median income
Angola, NY
$74,167 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Porter, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Porter, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.9% 9.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.2% White 84.9% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.1% Two or more races 9.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Porter compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Porter (this city) 5,208 $74,155
Tipton 5,255 $64,709
Lawrenceburg 5,155 $52,778
Linton 5,153 $41,968
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Porter, IN?

What is the population of Porter, IN? +

5,208 people live in Porter, IN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Porter, IN? +

The median household income in Porter is $74,155 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Porter? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Porter; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

Is Porter, IN safe? +

Porter has a total crime rate of 211.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Porter, IN? +

Porter's median home value sits at $259,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.