Township · Indiana
Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana
Ross Township, Lake County, township, in Lake County, Indiana. Ross Township, Lake County had 49,726 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 48,529 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 48,648 (±55). GEOID 1808966096.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
49,726
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 48,529 · ACS 2020-2024: 48,648 ±55
Median household income
$72,416
±$4,637 (90% margin)
Indiana: $71,957
Median home value
$224,500
±$6,351 (90% margin)
Indiana: $218,200
Median gross rent
$1,346
±$67 (90% margin)
Indiana: $1,062
Where is Ross Township, Lake County and what county is it in?
Ross Township, Lake County is a township in Lake County, Indiana. It covers 49.0 square miles of land, 990 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Ross Township (Lake County): Merrillville (town, 36,444 in 2020). Part of Crown Point (city) and Hobart (city) also lie in it.
Ross Township, Lake County is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ross Township, Lake County, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 49,726 people lived in Ross Township, Lake County on July 1, 2025, up 2.5% since 2020, in line with Indiana (+2.8%). The 2020 Census counted 48,529 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 48,648 (±55).
| Measure | Ross Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 48,648±55 | 500,379 | +1,099 |
| Households | 20,154±826 | 195,130 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.33±0.10 | 2.54 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 21,099±840 | 217,436 | no clear change |
Ross Township, Lake County's population since 2000
From 38,685 in 2000 to 49,726 in 2025: up 28.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ross Township, Lake County as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
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 Ross Township, Lake County?
The median resident of Ross Township, Lake County is 42.1 years old; 19.1% are under 18 and 20.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 41.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 38.5%. 7.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ross Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1±2.0 | 39.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.1%±1.9 pts | 23.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.3%±1.9 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 48.0%±1.4 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.8%±2.4 pts | 20.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 38.5%±2.9 pts | 51.4% | −5.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 41.1%±2.2 pts | 22.7% | +5.8 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.0%±0.6 pts | 1.6% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0%±1.0 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.1%±1.4 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.7%±2.0 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.9%±1.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 14.0%±1.9 pts | 13.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5%±1.3 pts | 6.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.2%±1.4 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.4%±2.5 pts | 25.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.3%±1.4 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.3%±1.8 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.5%±0.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 Ross Township, Lake County earn?
Half of Ross Township, Lake County's 20,154 households earn less than $72,416 a year (±$4,637), against $71,493 in Lake County and $71,957 in Indiana. In 2015-2019 it was $76,180 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ross Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,416±$4,637 | $71,493 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $87,951±$4,909 | $93,636 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,436±$2,282 | $37,284 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.0%±2.1 pts | 14.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.8%±5.5 pts | 21.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.8%±2.1 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.6%±2.3 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7%±2.7 pts | 89.7% | – |
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 Ross Township, Lake County?
Owners occupy 70.4% of Ross Township, Lake County's occupied homes and renters 29.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $224,500 by its owner (±$6,351). The median renter pays $1,346 a month including utilities, and 45.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ross Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $224,500±$6,351 | $230,600 | +$41,004 |
| Median gross rent | $1,346±$67 | $1,131 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.1%±6.3 pts | 44.8% | +11.8 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,538±$85 | $1,529 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.4%±2.9 pts | 71.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.6%±2.9 pts | 28.3% | – |
| Housing units | 21,099±840 | 217,436 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4%±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.2%±2.3 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.3%±3.1 pts | 71.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.2%±1.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7%±0.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.7%±1.6 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.8%±1.1 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6%±1.5 pts | 7.2% | – |
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 Ross Township, Lake County work and get to work?
83.0% of Ross Township, Lake County's workers drive alone and 6.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.4%.
| Measure | Ross Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.5%±1.9 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4%±1.9 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 83.0%±2.6 pts | 79.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.4%±1.5 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.9%±0.8 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.2%±0.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.6%±1.8 pts | 8.2% | +3.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.7 min±1.9 | 28.5 min | +2.9 min |
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 Ross Township, Lake County?
12 census tracts lie mostly in Ross Township, Lake County (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $41,662 (Tract 424.04) to $103,450 (Tract 425.07).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 425.01Lake County | 6,979 | $82,852 |
| Tract 424.01Lake County | 5,841 | $57,426 |
| Tract 424.03Lake County | 4,435 | $54,141 |
| Tract 424.05Lake County | 4,065 | $87,470 |
| Tract 425.09Lake County | 4,056 | $74,184 |
| Tract 425.07Lake County | 3,971 | $103,450 |
| Tract 423.01Lake County | 3,969 | $90,686 |
| Tract 425.08Lake County | 3,875 | $64,214 |
| Tract 425.03Lake County | 3,235 | $63,827 |
| Tract 425.06Lake County | 2,934 | $89,306 |
| Tract 424.04Lake County | 2,674 | $41,662 |
| Tract 423.02Lake County | 2,614 | $77,647 |
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 Ross Township, Lake County) · Census block assignment files
How does Ross Township, Lake County compare with other places in Indiana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ross Township, Lake County is the 161st-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 32nd-most populous of 1,001 in Indiana.
Ross Township, Lake County ranks 523rd of 1,072 places in Indiana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 32nd | 1,001 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 300th | 1,056 |
| Residents per square mile | 315th | 1,088 |
| Median household income | 523rd | 1,072 |
| Per capita income | 408th | 1,087 |
| Median home value | 375th | 1,075 |
| Median gross rent | 64th | 904 |
| Poverty rate | 393rd | 736 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 301st | 1,029 |
| Median age | 421st | 1,083 |
| Owner-occupied share | 823rd | 1,087 |
| Work from home | 417th | 595 |
| Travel time to work | 162nd | 1,088 |
Ross Township, Lake County's figures with every place in Indiana (CSV)
Every place in Indiana, sortable · Compare Ross Township, Lake County 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 Ross Township, Lake County?
6 of the 57 figures for Ross Township, Lake County 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 Ross Township, Lake County 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.