Lowell, IN · standard
ZIP Code 46356
Lake County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 17,524
- 57/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $89,217
- Median income Above-median income area
- $281,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 22.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Lowell pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 28%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 36%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 57
- people per sq mi
- 89%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46356 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 46356 (Lowell, IN) rose +4.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 211.6 in 2023 to 221.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 46356 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lowell, Lake County, Indiana, home to 17,524 residents across 305.8 square miles, a density of 57 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 46356 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $89,217 (21% above the average Indiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $41,502. The poverty rate is 6.7%, with unemployment at 6.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $281,500 (45% above the average Indiana ZIP), while 88.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,179.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.1, and the average commute is 34 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lake County, so 46356 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 46356
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lowell, IN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46356.
- Construction
Construction
61 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
38 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
35 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
32 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 23
Health care and social assistance
23 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 46356, Lowell, 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
17,524
Population
305.8
Area (sq mi)
57
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 46356?
41.1
Median Age
51.2%
Male
48.8%
Female
3.7%
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?
$89,217
Median Household Income
+21% vs state ZIP avg
$41,502
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
33.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 46356 ranks among Indiana ZIPs
Lowell, 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)
$89,217 Top 19% higher than 81% 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
7,423housing units
7,423
Total Housing Units
7,078
Occupied Units
345
Vacant Units
2.76
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$281,500
Median Home Value
+45% vs state ZIP avg
$1,179
Median Rent
1990
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
+4.6%
YoY Change (2024)
221
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+121%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 46356 have increased 4.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +121% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.8% | 158 |
| 2021 | +12.0% | 177 |
| 2022 | +13.6% | 201 |
| 2023 | +5.4% | 212 |
| 2024 | +4.6% | 221 |
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 308 business establishments in ZIP 46356, employing approximately 3,041 people with a combined annual payroll of $131,015,000.
308
Businesses
3,041
Employees
$131.0M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 61 | 19.8% |
| Retail trade | 38 | 12.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 35 | 11.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 32 | 10.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 7.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 5.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 17 | 5.5% |
| Manufacturing | 15 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 15 | 4.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 4.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 13 | 4.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 3.6% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 1.3% |
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 46356 vs 46379 →
ZIP 46356 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46307
Crown Point (46307)
60,619 residents
- 46356 17,524
Lowell (46356)
17,524 residents
- 46303 14,170
Cedar Lake (46303)
14,170 residents
- 46376 398
Schneider (46376)
398 residents
- 46377 386
Shelby (46377)
386 residents
- 46381 235
Thayer (46381)
235 residents
- 46379 202
Sumava Resorts (46379)
202 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46356 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 46356 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46307
Crown Point (46307)
$107,800 median income
- 46356
Lowell (46356)
$89,217 median income
- 46303
Cedar Lake (46303)
$84,211 median income
- 46381
Thayer (46381)
$64,821 median income
- 46376
Schneider (46376)
$64,205 median income
- 46377 $38,958
Shelby (46377)
$38,958 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 46356 ranks #2 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 46356, 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 (17,524 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lake County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 46356 in?
ZIP code 46356 (Lowell) 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 46356?
ZIP code 46356 in Lowell, IN has a population of 17,524 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46356?
The median household income in ZIP 46356 is $89,217, which is 17% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46356?
The median home value in ZIP 46356 is $281,500, which is 1% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46356?
The largest racial group in ZIP 46356 is White at 90.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46356?
ZIP code 46356 has 308 business establishments employing approximately 3,041 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46356?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46356 are: Construction (61), Retail trade (38), Other services (except public administration) (35). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46356?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46356 increased by 4.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 121%. 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 46356?
In ZIP code 46356, 58.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.3% 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 46356?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46356 is 33.6 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 46356?
In ZIP code 46356, approximately 88.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46356?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46356 is 6.7% 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 46356's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 46356 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lowell, 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.