Census tract · Lake County
Census Tract 309, Lake County, Indiana
Census Tract 309, GEOID 18089030900, in Lake County, Indiana, entirely within East Chicago and North Township, Lake County. 3,783 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±542); the 2020 Census counted 3,647.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,783
±542 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,647
Median household income
$60,475
±$12,096 (90% margin)
Lake County: $71,493
Median home value
$129,500
±$37,913 (90% margin)
Lake County: $230,600
Median gross rent
$1,107
±$79 (90% margin)
Lake County: $1,131
Where is Census Tract 309?
Census Tract 309 is one of 132 census tracts in Lake County, Indiana. It covers 0.72 square miles of land, 5,058 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 18089030900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| East Chicago | 100% |
| North Township, Lake County | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 309: Tract 103.04 ($40,010), Tract 301 ($12,674), Tract 307 ($47,069), Tract 308 ($47,694) and Tract 310. The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 309?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 309's population at 3,783 (±542) in 1,469 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,647 residents and 1,623 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 309 | East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,783 ±542 | 26,022 |
| Households | 1,469 ±218 | 9,943 |
| Average household size | 2.57 ±0.42 | 2.61 |
| Housing units | 1,749 ±210 | 12,365 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 309?
The median resident of Census Tract 309 is 38.1 years old; 22.2% are under 18 and 10.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 60.3%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 37.5%. 12.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 309 | East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 ±8.4 | 36.5 |
| Under 18 years | 22.2% ±6.1 pts | 25.3% |
| 65 years and over | 10.3% ±4.3 pts | 14.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 60.3% ±11.3 pts | 57.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 2.2% ±1.8 pts | 6.1% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 37.5% ±11.5 pts | 36.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 12.9% ±4.7 pts | 16.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 38.1% ±8.5 pts | 41.1% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 3.2% |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±3.8 pts | 16.6% |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.4% ±3.6 pts | 11.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.1% ±6.0 pts | 73.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.6% ±7.5 pts | 10.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.0% ±4.2 pts | 3.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.4% ±8.3 pts | 88.2% |
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 Census Tract 309 earn?
Half of the 1,469 households in Census Tract 309 earn less than $60,475 a year (±$12,096), against $71,493 across Lake County: 72nd highest of the county's 128 tracts with a reliable estimate. 15.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 309 | East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,475 ±$12,096 | $42,125 |
| Mean household income | $67,145 ±$10,568 | $59,483 |
| Per capita income | $26,841 ±$6,198 | $23,656 |
| People below the poverty line | 15.0% ±6.5 pts | 26.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.9% ±11.9 pts | 37.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.8% ±8.8 pts | 33.3% |
| Households with a computer | 84.5% ±10.8 pts | 87.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 79.9% ±10.9 pts | 78.5% |
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 Census Tract 309?
Owners occupy 50.3% of Census Tract 309's occupied homes and renters 49.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $129,500 by its owner (±$37,913). The median renter pays $1,107 a month including utilities, and 44.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 309 | East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $129,500 ±$37,913 | $105,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,107 ±$79 | $854 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.8% ±16.7 pts | 39.6% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,223 ±$163 | $1,153 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.3% ±11.0 pts | 42.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.7% ±11.0 pts | 57.1% |
| Housing units | 1,749 ±210 | 12,365 |
| Single-family detached homes | 44.2% ±8.0 pts | 41.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 2.1% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 59.6% ±9.0 pts | 52.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 12.0% ±6.0 pts | 16.7% |
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 Census Tract 309 get to work?
80.9% of Census Tract 309's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.4 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 309 | East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.9% ±9.8 pts | 57.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±4.6 pts | 7.7% |
| Drove alone to work | 80.9% ±8.8 pts | 75.3% |
| Carpooled | 15.2% ±8.0 pts | 15.8% |
| Public transportation | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 1.0% |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 1.5% |
| Worked from home | 2.1% ±3.1 pts | 4.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.4 min ±3.5 | 20.8 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
How does Census Tract 309 compare with the other tracts in Lake County?
Among Lake County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 309 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lake County | In East Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 67th of 131 | 2nd of 10 |
| Residents per square mile | 17th of 131 | 7th of 10 |
| Median household income | 72nd of 128 | 1st of 9 |
| Per capita income | 85th of 130 | 2nd of 10 |
| Median home value | 88th of 122 | 2nd of 9 |
| Median gross rent | 68th of 116 | 1st of 10 |
| Poverty rate | 58th of 90 | 10th of 10 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 84th of 117 | 2nd of 7 |
| Median age | 77th of 130 | 4th of 10 |
| Owner-occupied share | 98th of 128 | 4th of 9 |
The tracts next to it on Lake County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 425.03 | 69th | $63,827±$13,432 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 414 | 70th | $63,230±$5,323 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 125 | 71st | $61,375±$13,897 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 309 | 72nd | $60,475±$12,096 |
| Tract 205 | 73rd | $60,438±$16,531 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 211 | 74th | $60,313±$11,423 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 214 | 75th | $60,125±$18,982 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 309?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 309 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections