Gary, IN · standard
ZIP Code 46406
Lake County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 9,900
- 297/sq mi High-density area
- $35,839
- Median income Below-median income area
- $91,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 11.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Gary pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 7th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 297
- people per sq mi
- 48%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46406 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 46406 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gary, Lake County, Indiana, home to 9,900 residents across 33.4 square miles, a density of 297 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 46406 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,839 (51% below the average Indiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $18,916. Economic pressure is pronounced: 36.7% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 10.6%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $91,700 (53% below the average Indiana ZIP), and median rent is $995; owner occupancy is 48.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lake County, so 46406 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 46406
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gary, IN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46406.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
32 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
24 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
17 establishments
- Construction 12
Construction
12 establishments
- Manufacturing 12
Manufacturing
12 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 46406, Gary, 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
9,900
Population
33.4
Area (sq mi)
297
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 46406?
33.4
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
5.0%
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?
$35,839
Median Household Income
-51% vs state ZIP avg
$18,916
Per Capita Income
36.7%
Poverty Rate
10.6%
Unemployment Rate
25.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 46406 ranks among Indiana ZIPs
Gary, 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)
$35,839 1st percentile higher than 1% 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
4,041housing units
4,041
Total Housing Units
3,487
Occupied Units
554
Vacant Units
2.58
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$91,700
Median Home Value
-53% vs state ZIP avg
$995
Median Rent
1962
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 142 business establishments in ZIP 46406, employing approximately 4,976 people with a combined annual payroll of $323,083,000.
142
Businesses
4,976
Employees
$323.1M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 32 | 22.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 24 | 16.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 17 | 12.0% |
| Construction | 12 | 8.4% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 8.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 8.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 5.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 5.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 2.1% |
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 46406 vs 46404 →
ZIP 46406 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46312
East Chicago (46312)
29,698 residents
- 46322
Highland (46322)
23,727 residents
- 46324
Hammond (46324)
23,165 residents
- 46323
Hammond (46323)
22,743 residents
- 46319
Griffith (46319)
18,404 residents
- 46404
Gary (46404)
17,326 residents
- 46408
Gary (46408)
17,030 residents
- 46320
Hammond (46320)
15,508 residents
- 46407
Gary (46407)
12,656 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46406 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 46406 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46322
Highland (46322)
$78,062 median income
- 46319
Griffith (46319)
$74,662 median income
- 46324
Hammond (46324)
$63,052 median income
- 46323
Hammond (46323)
$59,688 median income
- 46408
Gary (46408)
$47,453 median income
- 46404
Gary (46404)
$42,256 median income
- 46312
East Chicago (46312)
$42,125 median income
- 46320
Hammond (46320)
$37,158 median income
- 46406
Gary (46406)
$35,839 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 46406 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46404 | Gary, IN | 17,326 | 2.2 mi |
| 46323 | Hammond, IN | 22,743 | 2.5 mi |
| 46402 | Gary, IN | 6,726 | 4.0 mi |
| 46312 | East Chicago, IN | 29,698 | 3.9 mi |
| 46319 | Griffith, IN | 18,404 | 5.4 mi |
| 46408 | Gary, IN | 17,030 | 4.5 mi |
| 46407 | Gary, IN | 12,656 | 4.4 mi |
| 46322 | Highland, IN | 23,727 | 4.6 mi |
| 46324 | Hammond, IN | 23,165 | 5.0 mi |
| 46320 | Hammond, IN | 15,508 | 5.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 46406, 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 (9,900 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 46406 in?
ZIP code 46406 (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 46406?
ZIP code 46406 in Gary, IN has a population of 9,900 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46406?
The median household income in ZIP 46406 is $35,839, which is 53% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46406?
The median home value in ZIP 46406 is $91,700, which is 67% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46406?
The largest racial group in ZIP 46406 is African American at 61.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46406?
ZIP code 46406 has 142 business establishments employing approximately 4,976 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46406?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46406 are: Retail trade (32), Transportation and warehousing (24), Other services (except public administration) (17). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 46406?
In ZIP code 46406, 51.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.8% 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 46406?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46406 is 25.6 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 46406?
In ZIP code 46406, approximately 48.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 52.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46406?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46406 is 36.7% 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 46406's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 46406 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Gary, IN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.