Chesterton, IN · standard
ZIP Code 46304
Porter County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 24,207
- 174/sq mi High-density area
- $91,326
- Median income Above-median income area
- $293,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 36.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chesterton pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 26%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 34%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 174
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46304 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 46304 (Chesterton, IN) rose +1.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 205.7 in 2023 to 208.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 46304 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana, with 24,207 residents across 138.9 square miles, a density of 174 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 46304 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,326 (24% above the average Indiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,916. The poverty rate is 9.2%, with unemployment at 5.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $293,100 (51% above the average Indiana ZIP), while 79.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,223.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Porter County, so 46304 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 46304
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chesterton, IN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46304.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
98 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
80 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
75 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
71 establishments
- Construction
Construction
62 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 46304, Chesterton, IN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
24,207
Population
138.9
Area (sq mi)
174
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 46304?
40.5
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
4.5%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$91,326
Median Household Income
+24% vs state ZIP avg
$46,916
Per Capita Income
9.2%
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
26.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 46304 ranks among Indiana ZIPs
Chesterton, IN household income vs. every Indiana ZIP code
Median household income among 721 reporting Indiana ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$91,326 Top 15% higher than 85% of 721 Indiana ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Indiana ZIPs. 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 · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
12,117housing units
12,117
Total Housing Units
11,383
Occupied Units
734
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$293,100
Median Home Value
+51% vs state ZIP avg
$1,223
Median Rent
1985
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+1.1%
YoY Change (2024)
208
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+108%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 46304 have increased 1.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +108% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.3% | 147 |
| 2021 | +12.9% | 166 |
| 2022 | +11.4% | 185 |
| 2023 | +11.3% | 206 |
| 2024 | +1.1% | 208 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 642 business establishments in ZIP 46304, employing approximately 12,975 people with a combined annual payroll of $915,670,000.
642
Businesses
12,975
Employees
$915.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 98 | 15.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 80 | 12.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 75 | 11.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 71 | 11.1% |
| Construction | 62 | 9.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 58 | 9.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 42 | 6.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 32 | 5.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 4.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 25 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 22 | 3.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 22 | 3.4% |
| Educational services | 10 | 1.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 1.4% |
| Information | 7 | 1.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 46304 vs 46301 →
ZIP 46304 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46385
Valparaiso (46385)
38,866 residents
- 46368
Portage (46368)
38,691 residents
- 46304
Chesterton (46304)
24,207 residents
- 46391 9,726
Westville (46391)
9,726 residents
- 46301 669
Beverly Shores (46301)
669 residents
- 46393 399
Wheeler (46393)
399 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46304 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 46304 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46301
Beverly Shores (46301)
$119,948 median income
- 46385
Valparaiso (46385)
$98,957 median income
- 46304
Chesterton (46304)
$91,326 median income
- 46391
Westville (46391)
$82,692 median income
- 46368
Portage (46368)
$76,368 median income
- 46393
Wheeler (46393)
$56,250 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 46304 ranks #3 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 46304, both outside IN so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (24,207 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Porter County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 46304 in?
ZIP code 46304 (Chesterton) is located in Porter County, Indiana. Porter County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/porter-in.
What is the population of ZIP code 46304?
ZIP code 46304 in Chesterton, IN has a population of 24,207 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46304?
The median household income in ZIP 46304 is $91,326, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46304?
The median home value in ZIP 46304 is $293,100, which is 5% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46304?
The largest racial group in ZIP 46304 is White at 87.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46304?
ZIP code 46304 has 642 business establishments employing approximately 12,975 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46304?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46304 are: Retail trade (98), Accommodation and food services (80), Health care and social assistance (75). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46304?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46304 increased by 1.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 108%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 46304?
In ZIP code 46304, 66.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 46304?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46304 is 26.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 46304?
In ZIP code 46304, approximately 79.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46304?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46304 is 9.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 46304's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 46304 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chesterton, IN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.