PlainZIP

Lake Station, IN · standard

ZIP Code 46405

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

11,746
522/sq mi
$60,881
Median income
$139,200
Median home value
7.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Station pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

31th pct
household income, US ZIPs
22th pct
home value, US ZIPs
522
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46405 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 46405 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Station, Lake County, Indiana, home to 11,746 residents across 22.5 square miles, a density of 522 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 46405 reports a modest median household income of $60,881 (17% below the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $27,763. The poverty rate stands at 12.2% and the unemployment rate at 16.3%. Housing costs here run $139,200 for a typical home value (28% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,144 a month; 75.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 7.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.3, and the average commute is 27 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 46405 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 46405

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Station, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46405.

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 46405, Lake Station, 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

11,746

Population

22.5

Area (sq mi)

522

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 46405?

35.3

Median Age

52.6%

Male

47.4%

Female

9.2%

Foreign-Born

White 67.3%
African American 2.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 22.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%

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?

$60,881

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$27,763

Per Capita Income

12.2%

Poverty Rate

16.3%

Unemployment Rate

26.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 46405 ranks nationally

Lake Station, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$60,881 31st percentile higher than 31% 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 54.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.8%

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

What does housing look like?

4,632

Total Housing Units

4,357

Occupied Units

275

Vacant Units

2.77

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.3%
Renter 24.7%

$139,200

Median Home Value

-28% vs state

$1,144

Median Rent

1962

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

+5.2%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 46405 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +11.0% 137
2021 +13.6% 155
2022 +13.8% 177
2023 +17.0% 207
2024 +5.2% 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 149 business establishments in ZIP 46405, employing approximately 1,148 people with a combined annual payroll of $42,070,000.

149

Businesses

1,148

Employees

$42.1M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 31 20.8%
Other services (except public administration) 27 18.1%
Accommodation and food services 17 11.4%
Transportation and warehousing 15 10.1%
Construction 14 9.4%
Health care and social assistance 11 7.4%
Finance and insurance 7 4.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 4.7%
Manufacturing 6 4.0%
Wholesale trade 4 2.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 2.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 2.0%

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 46405 vs 46403 →

ZIP 46405 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 46405 ranks #8 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 46405 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 46405 ranks #4 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
46403 Gary, IN 12,601 2.1 mi
46407 Gary, IN 12,656 3.5 mi
46342 Hobart, IN 31,244 4.0 mi
46409 Gary, IN 8,932 3.7 mi
46402 Gary, IN 6,726 3.9 mi
46368 Portage, IN 38,691 4.3 mi
46404 Gary, IN 17,326 5.9 mi
46408 Gary, IN 17,030 5.9 mi
46393 Wheeler, IN 399 6.3 mi
46410 Merrillville, IN 38,340 7.4 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 Lake Station, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46405 in? ▼
ZIP code 46405 (Lake Station) 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 46405? ▼
ZIP code 46405 in Lake Station, IN has a population of 11,746 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46405? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 46405 is $60,881, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46405? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 46405 is $139,200, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46405? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 46405 is White at 67.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 31.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46405? ▼
ZIP code 46405 has 149 business establishments employing approximately 1,148 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46405? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46405 are: Retail trade (31), Other services (except public administration) (27), Accommodation and food services (17). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46405? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46405 increased by 5.2% 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 46405? ▼
In ZIP code 46405, 54.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 7.8% 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 46405? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46405 is 26.9 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 46405? ▼
In ZIP code 46405, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46405? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46405 is 12.2% 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.