PlainZIP

Whiting, IN · standard

ZIP Code 46394

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

12,258
1,452/sq mi
$66,176
Median income
$173,200
Median home value
24.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

40th pct
household income, US ZIPs
36th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,452
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46394 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 46394 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Whiting, Lake County, Indiana, home to 12,258 residents across 8.4 square miles, a density of 1,452 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 46394 reports a modest median household income of $66,176 (10% below the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $33,922. The poverty rate stands at 15.7% and the unemployment rate at 8.6%. Median home value sits at $173,200 (11% below the state average), median rent at $986 a month, and owner-occupancy at 65.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lake County, so you can benchmark 46394 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 46394

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Whiting, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46394.

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 46394, Whiting, 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

12,258

Population

8.4

Area (sq mi)

1,452

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 46394?

40.3

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

12.3%

Foreign-Born

White 51.2%
African American 6.2%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 4.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 46.8%

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?

$66,176

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$33,922

Per Capita Income

15.7%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

27.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 46394 ranks nationally

Whiting, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,176 40th percentile higher than 40% 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 60.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.7%

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

What does housing look like?

5,258

Total Housing Units

4,858

Occupied Units

400

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.2%
Renter 34.8%

$173,200

Median Home Value

-11% vs state

$986

Median Rent

1938

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

+1.6%

YoY Change (2024)

188

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+88%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 46394 have increased 1.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +88% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.2% 136
2021 +11.5% 152
2022 +14.8% 175
2023 +5.8% 185
2024 +1.6% 188

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 168 business establishments in ZIP 46394, employing approximately 3,355 people with a combined annual payroll of $361,345,000.

168

Businesses

3,355

Employees

$361.3M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 30 17.9%
Retail trade 29 17.3%
Health care and social assistance 21 12.5%
Other services (except public administration) 14 8.3%
Transportation and warehousing 13 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 7.7%
Finance and insurance 11 6.5%
Construction 9 5.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 4.8%
Manufacturing 5 3.0%
Wholesale trade 4 2.4%
Educational services 4 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.8%

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 46394 vs 46327 →

ZIP 46394 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 46394 ranks #0 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 46394 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 46394 ranks #2 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
46327 Hammond, IN 12,153 2.5 mi
46320 Hammond, IN 15,508 2.8 mi
46312 East Chicago, IN 29,698 2.7 mi
60633 Chicago, IL 12,927 3.6 mi
46324 Hammond, IN 23,165 6.3 mi
60617 Chicago, IL 84,155 4.3 mi
60409 Calumet City, IL 37,186 5.1 mi
46323 Hammond, IN 22,743 6.2 mi
46321 Munster, IN 23,603 8.8 mi
60628 Chicago, IL 72,202 6.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lake County

46307 standard
Crown Point, IN
Pop: 60,619
46410 standard
Merrillville, IN
Pop: 38,340
46342 standard
Hobart, IN
Pop: 31,244
46312 standard
East Chicago, IN
Pop: 29,698
46375 standard
Schererville, IN
Pop: 23,820
46322 standard
Highland, IN
Pop: 23,727

Related Areas

Lake County Whiting, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46394 in? ▼
ZIP code 46394 (Whiting) 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 46394? ▼
ZIP code 46394 in Whiting, IN has a population of 12,258 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46394? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 46394 is $66,176, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46394? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 46394 is $173,200, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46394? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 46394 is White at 51.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 46.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46394? ▼
ZIP code 46394 has 168 business establishments employing approximately 3,355 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46394? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46394 are: Accommodation and food services (30), Retail trade (29), Health care and social assistance (21). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46394? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46394 increased by 1.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 88%. 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 46394? ▼
In ZIP code 46394, 60.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.7% 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 46394? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46394 is 27.3 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 46394? ▼
In ZIP code 46394, approximately 65.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46394? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46394 is 15.7% 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.