46409 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
46409
46406
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 10%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Growth
40 · Bottom 33%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
62 · Bottom 21%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 34%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 46409 | 46406 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,184 | 9,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,667 | $35,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,568 | $18,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,007/sq mi | 668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $78,800 | $91,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,195 | $995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.5% | 48.0% | 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% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.0% | 36.7% | 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 | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.79 | 17.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.3% | 79.6% | 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 · 46406 — Gary, IN · How this is calculated: methodology