Census tract · Lake County
Census Tract 424.03, Lake County, Indiana
Census Tract 424.03, GEOID 18089042403, in Lake County, Indiana, entirely within Merrillville and Ross Township, Lake County. 4,435 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±650); the 2020 Census counted 4,399.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,435
±650 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,399
Median household income
$54,141
±$11,320 (90% margin)
Lake County: $71,493
Median home value
$192,700
±$12,416 (90% margin)
Lake County: $230,600
Median gross rent
$1,151
±$95 (90% margin)
Lake County: $1,131
Where is Census Tract 424.03?
Census Tract 424.03 is one of 132 census tracts in Lake County, Indiana. It covers 2.25 square miles of land, 1,957 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 18089042403, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Merrillville | 100% |
| Ross Township, Lake County | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 424.03: Tract 125 ($61,375), Tract 127 ($54,391), Tract 422 ($78,327), Tract 423.02 ($77,647), Tract 424.01 ($57,426) and Tract 424.04 ($41,662). 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 424.03?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 424.03's population at 4,435 (±650) in 1,591 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,399 residents and 1,811 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 424.03 | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,435 ±650 | 36,476 |
| Households | 1,591 ±143 | 15,487 |
| Average household size | 2.78 ±0.35 | 2.32 |
| Housing units | 1,697 ±161 | 16,213 |
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 424.03?
The median resident of Census Tract 424.03 is 40.0 years old; 23.0% are under 18 and 17.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 61.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.2%. 10.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 424.03 | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 ±4.3 | 42.4 |
| Under 18 years | 23.0% ±3.9 pts | 20.5% |
| 65 years and over | 17.2% ±3.5 pts | 20.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.2% ±8.2 pts | 15.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 13.0% ±5.1 pts | 33.4% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 61.7% ±9.5 pts | 46.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±5.0 pts | 3.1% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.8% |
| Born outside the United States | 10.4% ±5.7 pts | 6.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 13.7% ±6.3 pts | 11.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±2.9 pts | 7.0% |
| With a disability | 16.1% ±5.5 pts | 14.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.7% ±4.3 pts | 6.5% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.9% ±5.9 pts | 92.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.9% ±6.0 pts | 26.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1% ±4.6 pts | 9.7% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.9% ±6.1 pts | 89.7% |
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 424.03 earn?
Half of the 1,591 households in Census Tract 424.03 earn less than $54,141 a year (±$11,320), against $71,493 across Lake County: 83rd highest of the county's 128 tracts with a reliable estimate. 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 424.03 | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,141 ±$11,320 | $67,587 |
| Mean household income | $71,270 ±$9,141 | $84,476 |
| Per capita income | $26,683 ±$3,027 | $36,629 |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3% ±5.3 pts | 12.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.3% ±11.0 pts | 17.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.6% ±6.8 pts | 12.5% |
| Households with a computer | 96.2% ±2.8 pts | 93.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.2% ±3.0 pts | 87.7% |
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 Census Tract 424.03?
Owners occupy 71.1% of Census Tract 424.03's occupied homes and renters 28.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,700 by its owner (±$12,416). The median renter pays $1,151 a month including utilities, and 58.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 424.03 | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $192,700 ±$12,416 | $211,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 ±$95 | $1,282 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 58.9% ±20.0 pts | 47.4% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,231 ±$190 | $1,469 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.1% ±8.7 pts | 70.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.9% ±8.7 pts | 29.5% |
| Housing units | 1,697 ±161 | 16,213 |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.5% ±8.2 pts | 60.7% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 1.5% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 6.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.9% ±3.8 pts | 3.4% |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.0% ±6.7 pts | 8.4% |
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 424.03 get to work?
78.2% of Census Tract 424.03's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.7 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 424.03 | Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.2% ±7.0 pts | 61.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 17.8% ±12.4 pts | 7.5% |
| Drove alone to work | 78.2% ±8.4 pts | 82.2% |
| Carpooled | 2.6% ±2.7 pts | 4.9% |
| Public transportation | 2.4% ±3.5 pts | 1.9% |
| Walked | 4.9% ±4.1 pts | 1.5% |
| Worked from home | 5.4% ±4.3 pts | 7.3% |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.7 min ±3.6 | 32.1 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 424.03 compare with the other tracts in Lake County?
Among Lake County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 424.03 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lake County | In Merrillville |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 46th of 131 | 3rd of 10 |
| Residents per square mile | 69th of 131 | 3rd of 10 |
| Median household income | 83rd of 128 | 9th of 10 |
| Per capita income | 86th of 130 | 9th of 10 |
| Median home value | 62nd of 122 | 9th of 10 |
| Median gross rent | 56th of 116 | 7th of 9 |
| Poverty rate | 72nd of 90 | 7th of 9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73rd of 117 | 8th of 10 |
| Median age | 65th of 130 | 8th of 10 |
| Owner-occupied share | 66th of 128 | 5th of 10 |
The tracts next to it on Lake County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 417 | 80th | $56,393±$9,041 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 220 | 81st | $55,661±$8,839 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 127 | 82nd | $54,391±$3,997 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 424.03 | 83rd | $54,141±$11,320 |
| Tract 416 | 84th | $53,492±$8,790 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 413.02 | 85th | $53,429±$10,203 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 218 | 86th | $52,770±$4,139 · 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 424.03?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 424.03 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