46385 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
46385
46304
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs76 · Top 12%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs54 · Top 45%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs62 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs98 · Top 15%
Schools
77 · Top 17%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
92 · Bottom 46%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 46385 | 46304 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,856 | 28,307 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,957 | $91,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,898 | $46,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 506/sq mi | 490/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,700 | $293,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,346 | $1,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.6% | 79.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 157 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.5 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.4% | -32.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.84 | 15.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.8% | 55.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 62.1% | 50.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 29.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 46385 — Valparaiso, IN · 46304 — Chesterton, IN · How this is calculated: methodology