PlainZIP

Valparaiso, IN · standard

ZIP Code 46385

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

38,866
185/sq mi
$98,957
Median income
$331,700
Median home value
35.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Valparaiso pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 20%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 29%
home value, US ZIPs
185
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46385 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 46385 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, with 38,866 residents across 210.5 square miles, a density of 185 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 46385 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $98,957 (34% above the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $49,898. Poverty here runs at 8.0%, with unemployment measured at 3.4%. Median home value sits at $331,700 (71% above the state average), median rent at $1,346 a month, and owner-occupancy at 86.6%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 35.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.2, and the average commute is 30 minutes. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Porter County, so you can benchmark 46385 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 46385

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Valparaiso, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46385.

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 46385, Valparaiso, 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

38,866

Population

210.5

Area (sq mi)

185

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 46385?

43.2

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

4.0%

Foreign-Born

White 85.5%
African American 2.0%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

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?

$98,957

Median Household Income

+34% vs state

$49,898

Per Capita Income

8.0%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

29.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 46385 ranks nationally

Valparaiso, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$98,957 Top 20% higher than 80% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 65.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 35.1%

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

What does housing look like?

15,958

Total Housing Units

15,269

Occupied Units

689

Vacant Units

2.66

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.6%
Renter 13.4%

$331,700

Median Home Value

+71% vs state

$1,346

Median Rent

1987

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

+3.8%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 46385 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.8% 149
2021 +12.6% 168
2022 +15.8% 194
2023 +7.9% 209
2024 +3.8% 217

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 597 business establishments in ZIP 46385, employing approximately 4,013 people with a combined annual payroll of $206,555,000.

597

Businesses

4,013

Employees

$206.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 88 14.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 82 13.7%
Retail trade 58 9.7%
Health care and social assistance 58 9.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 57 9.6%
Other services (except public administration) 57 9.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 42 7.0%
Accommodation and food services 32 5.4%
Finance and insurance 30 5.0%
Wholesale trade 27 4.5%
Transportation and warehousing 23 3.9%
Manufacturing 17 2.9%
Educational services 9 1.5%
Information 7 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 0.8%

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 46385 vs 46393 →

ZIP 46385 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 46385 ranks #2 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 46385 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 46385 ranks the highest 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
46393 Wheeler, IN 399 4.2 mi
46383 Valparaiso, IN 39,687 6.3 mi
46342 Hobart, IN 31,244 7.4 mi
46368 Portage, IN 38,691 9.1 mi
46304 Chesterton, IN 24,207 11.1 mi
46341 Hebron, IN 10,426 11.2 mi
46405 Lake Station, IN 11,746 10.5 mi
46403 Gary, IN 12,601 12.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Porter County

46383 standard
Valparaiso, IN
Pop: 39,687
46368 standard
Portage, IN
Pop: 38,691
46304 standard
Chesterton, IN
Pop: 24,207
46341 standard
Hebron, IN
Pop: 10,426
46347 standard
Kouts, IN
Pop: 4,760
46301 standard
Beverly Shores, IN
Pop: 669

Related Areas

Porter County Valparaiso, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46385 in? ▼
ZIP code 46385 (Valparaiso) 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 46385? ▼
ZIP code 46385 in Valparaiso, IN has a population of 38,866 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46385? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 46385 is $98,957, which is 30% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46385? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 46385 is $331,700, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46385? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 46385 is White at 85.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46385? ▼
ZIP code 46385 has 597 business establishments employing approximately 4,013 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46385? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46385 are: Construction (88), Professional, scientific, and technical services (82), Retail trade (58). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46385? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46385 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. 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 46385? ▼
In ZIP code 46385, 65.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 35.1% 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 46385? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46385 is 29.9 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 46385? ▼
In ZIP code 46385, approximately 86.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46385? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46385 is 8.0% 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.