PlainZIP

Hobart, IN · standard

ZIP Code 46342

Lake County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

31,244
343/sq mi
$75,521
Median income
$213,000
Median home value
20.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hobart pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 44%
household income, US ZIPs
47th pct
home value, US ZIPs
343
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46342 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 46342 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hobart, Lake County, Indiana, with 31,244 residents across 91.2 square miles, a density of 343 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 46342 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $75,521 (3% above the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $36,214. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.3%. Housing costs here run $213,000 for a typical home value (10% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,132 a month; 74.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Lake County, letting you compare 46342 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 46342

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hobart, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46342.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 46342, Hobart, 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

31,244

Population

91.2

Area (sq mi)

343

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 46342?

39.4

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

5.2%

Foreign-Born

White 70.8%
African American 10.4%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.7%
Hispanic or Latino 19.8%

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?

$75,521

Median Household Income

+3% vs state

$36,214

Per Capita Income

11.2%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

26.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 46342 ranks nationally

Hobart, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$75,521 Top 44% higher than 56% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 62.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

13,931

Total Housing Units

13,053

Occupied Units

878

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.1%
Renter 25.9%

$213,000

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$1,132

Median Rent

1971

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

+0.9%

YoY Change (2024)

213

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+113%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 46342 have increased 0.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +113% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 147
2021 +13.4% 167
2022 +12.6% 188
2023 +12.3% 211
2024 +0.9% 213

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 525 business establishments in ZIP 46342, employing approximately 7,666 people with a combined annual payroll of $377,050,000.

525

Businesses

7,666

Employees

$377.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 83 15.8%
Other services (except public administration) 75 14.3%
Health care and social assistance 65 12.4%
Accommodation and food services 63 12.0%
Construction 45 8.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 35 6.7%
Wholesale trade 27 5.1%
Finance and insurance 26 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 26 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 4.4%
Transportation and warehousing 21 4.0%
Manufacturing 12 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 2.1%
Information 5 0.9%
Educational services 5 0.9%

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 46342 vs 46405 →

ZIP 46342 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46342 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 46342 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 46342 ranks #3 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
46405 Lake Station, IN 11,746 4.0 mi
46393 Wheeler, IN 399 3.6 mi
46403 Gary, IN 12,601 6.1 mi
46409 Gary, IN 8,932 4.6 mi
46410 Merrillville, IN 38,340 5.2 mi
46368 Portage, IN 38,691 5.8 mi
46407 Gary, IN 12,656 6.1 mi
46408 Gary, IN 17,030 6.7 mi
46402 Gary, IN 6,726 7.2 mi
46385 Valparaiso, IN 38,866 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lake County

46307 standard
Crown Point, IN
Pop: 60,619
46410 standard
Merrillville, IN
Pop: 38,340
46312 standard
East Chicago, IN
Pop: 29,698
46375 standard
Schererville, IN
Pop: 23,820
46322 standard
Highland, IN
Pop: 23,727
46321 standard
Munster, IN
Pop: 23,603

Related Areas

Lake County Hobart, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46342 in? ▼
ZIP code 46342 (Hobart) is located in Lake County, Indiana. Lake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lake-in.
What is the population of ZIP code 46342? ▼
ZIP code 46342 in Hobart, IN has a population of 31,244 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46342? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 46342 is $75,521, which is 1% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46342? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 46342 is $213,000, which is 23% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46342? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 46342 is White at 70.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 19.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46342? ▼
ZIP code 46342 has 525 business establishments employing approximately 7,666 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46342? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46342 are: Retail trade (83), Other services (except public administration) (75), Health care and social assistance (65). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46342? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46342 increased by 0.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 113%. 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 46342? ▼
In ZIP code 46342, 62.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.5% 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 46342? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46342 is 26.3 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 46342? ▼
In ZIP code 46342, approximately 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46342? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46342 is 11.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

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