Gary, IN · standard
ZIP Code 46409
Lake County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,932
- 967/sq mi High-density area
- $44,667
- Median income Below-median income area
- $78,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 11.4%
- 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.
- 9th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 4th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 967
- people per sq mi
- 45%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46409 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 46409 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Gary, Lake County, Indiana, home to 8,932 residents across 9.2 square miles, a density of 967 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 46409 reports a modest median household income of $44,667 (39% below the average Indiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,568. Economic pressure is pronounced: 30.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 12.4%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $78,800 (59% below the average Indiana ZIP), and median rent is $1,195; owner occupancy is 44.5%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.7, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lake County, so 46409 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 46409
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Gary, IN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46409.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
20 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
13 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 6
Accommodation and food services
6 establishments
- Finance and insurance 4
Finance and insurance
4 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 46409, 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
8,932
Population
9.2
Area (sq mi)
967
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 46409?
34.7
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
2.5%
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?
$44,667
Median Household Income
-39% vs state ZIP avg
$25,568
Per Capita Income
30.0%
Poverty Rate
12.4%
Unemployment Rate
26.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 46409 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)
$44,667 4th percentile higher than 4% 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
4,184housing units
4,184
Total Housing Units
2,648
Occupied Units
1,536
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$78,800
Median Home Value
-59% vs state ZIP avg
$1,195
Median Rent
1955
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 74 business establishments in ZIP 46409, employing approximately 503 people with a combined annual payroll of $16,902,000.
74
Businesses
503
Employees
$16.9M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 20 | 27.0% |
| Retail trade | 16 | 21.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 17.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 8.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 5.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 5.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 4.0% |
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 46409 vs 46407 →
ZIP 46409 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46410
Merrillville (46410)
38,340 residents
- 46342
Hobart (46342)
31,244 residents
- 46322
Highland (46322)
23,727 residents
- 46319
Griffith (46319)
18,404 residents
- 46404
Gary (46404)
17,326 residents
- 46408
Gary (46408)
17,030 residents
- 46407 12,656
Gary (46407)
12,656 residents
- 46403 12,601
Gary (46403)
12,601 residents
- 46405 11,746
Lake Station (46405)
11,746 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46409 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 46409 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
- 46342
Hobart (46342)
$75,521 median income
- 46319
Griffith (46319)
$74,662 median income
- 46410
Merrillville (46410)
$64,127 median income
- 46405
Lake Station (46405)
$60,881 median income
- 46408
Gary (46408)
$47,453 median income
- 46403
Gary (46403)
$45,991 median income
- 46409
Gary (46409)
$44,667 median income
- 46404
Gary (46404)
$42,256 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 46409 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46407 | Gary, IN | 12,656 | 2.1 mi |
| 46408 | Gary, IN | 17,030 | 2.4 mi |
| 46402 | Gary, IN | 6,726 | 3.5 mi |
| 46410 | Merrillville, IN | 38,340 | 4.7 mi |
| 46404 | Gary, IN | 17,326 | 3.6 mi |
| 46405 | Lake Station, IN | 11,746 | 3.7 mi |
| 46342 | Hobart, IN | 31,244 | 4.6 mi |
| 46403 | Gary, IN | 12,601 | 5.0 mi |
| 46319 | Griffith, IN | 18,404 | 5.3 mi |
| 46322 | Highland, IN | 23,727 | 7.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 46409, 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 (8,932 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 46409 in?
ZIP code 46409 (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 46409?
ZIP code 46409 in Gary, IN has a population of 8,932 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46409?
The median household income in ZIP 46409 is $44,667, which is 41% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46409?
The median home value in ZIP 46409 is $78,800, which is 72% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46409?
The largest racial group in ZIP 46409 is African American at 65.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46409?
ZIP code 46409 has 74 business establishments employing approximately 503 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46409?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46409 are: Health care and social assistance (20), Retail trade (16), Other services (except public administration) (13). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 46409?
In ZIP code 46409, 49.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.4% 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 46409?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46409 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 46409?
In ZIP code 46409, approximately 44.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46409?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46409 is 30.0% 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 46409's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 46409 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.