ZIP Code 46402

standard

Source:

Gary · Lake County · Indiana

Population
6,726

682/sq mi

Median income
$33,529

▼ 56% vs US

higher than 3% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$85,400

▼ 69% vs US

higher than 6% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
10.7%

Median age 33.5

Land area
9.9 sq mi

Chicago

ZIP code 46402 in Gary, Indiana has a population of 6,726. The median household income is $33,529, which is 56% below the national average. Median home value is $85,400, 69% below the US average. 10.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 46402 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 9.9 square miles in Gary, Lake County, Indiana. The area is home to 6,726 residents, producing a population density of 682 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 46402 against Indiana and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 46402 sits at $33,529 (54% below the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $19,741. The poverty rate stands at 44.7% and the unemployment rate at 14.2%. On housing, the median home value is $85,400 (56% below the state average) with median rent at $951 per month, and 43.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 46402 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 10.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.5, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lake County, so you can benchmark 46402 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 46402

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46402.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 46402, Gary, IN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

6,726

Population

9.9

Area (sq mi)

682

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 46402?

33.5

Median Age

44.6%

Male

55.4%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 4.8%
African American 85.0%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%

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?

$33,529

Median Household Income

-54% vs state

$19,741

Per Capita Income

44.7%

Poverty Rate

14.2%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

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

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 58.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.7%

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

What does housing look like?

3,418

Total Housing Units

2,258

Occupied Units

1,160

Vacant Units

2.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.4%
Renter 56.6%

$85,400

Median Home Value

-56% vs state

$951

Median Rent

1945

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 146 business establishments in ZIP 46402, employing approximately 9,036 people with a combined annual payroll of $802,840,000.

146

Businesses

9,036

Employees

$802.8M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 29 19.9%
Other services (except public administration) 17 11.6%
Retail trade 12 8.2%
Manufacturing 11 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 7.5%
Transportation and warehousing 10 6.8%
Accommodation and food services 10 6.8%
Wholesale trade 7 4.8%
Finance and insurance 7 4.8%
Utilities 4 2.7%
Construction 4 2.7%
Information 4 2.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 2.7%

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 46402 vs 46407 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
46407 Gary, IN 12,656 1.4 mi
46409 Gary, IN 8,932 3.5 mi
46404 Gary, IN 17,326 2.5 mi
46403 Gary, IN 12,601 3.5 mi
46406 Gary, IN 9,900 4.0 mi
46408 Gary, IN 17,030 4.3 mi
46405 Lake Station, IN 11,746 3.9 mi
46410 Merrillville, IN 38,340 8.2 mi
46323 Hammond, IN 22,743 6.4 mi
46319 Griffith, IN 18,404 6.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lake County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46402 in?
ZIP code 46402 (Gary) 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 46402?
ZIP code 46402 in Gary, IN has a population of 6,726 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46402?
The median household income in ZIP 46402 is $33,529, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46402?
The median home value in ZIP 46402 is $85,400, which is 69% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46402?
The largest racial group in ZIP 46402 is African American at 85.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46402?
ZIP code 46402 has 146 business establishments employing approximately 9,036 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46402?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46402 are: Health care and social assistance (29), Other services (except public administration) (17), Retail trade (12). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 46402?
In ZIP code 46402, 58.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.7% 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 46402?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46402 is 23.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 46402?
In ZIP code 46402, approximately 43.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46402?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46402 is 44.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Gary, IN

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

PlainZIP is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau or any government agency.