46409 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
46403
46409
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 18%
vs31 · Bottom 10%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs62 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
19 · Bottom 2%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 46403 | 46409 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,929 | 7,184 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,991 | $44,667 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,932 | $25,568 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,183/sq mi | 2,007/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,600 | $78,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $966 | $1,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.8% | 44.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 25.0% | 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 | 8 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.98 | 13.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.7% | 60.3% | 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: 46403 — Gary, IN · 46409 — Gary, IN · How this is calculated: methodology