46409 and 46404 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
46409
46404
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 10%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs62 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs76 · Bottom 44%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs14 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 46409 | 46404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,184 | 15,428 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,667 | $42,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,568 | $22,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,007/sq mi | 2,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $78,800 | $95,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,195 | $999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.5% | 56.4% | 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 | 11.4% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.0% | 28.4% | 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 | 7 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.79 | 17.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.3% | 66.6% | 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: 46409 — Gary, IN · 46404 — Gary, IN · How this is calculated: methodology