Dyer receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dyer
Hammond
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Dyer | Hammond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,400 | 76,768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,159 | $55,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,743 | $28,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,664/sq mi | 3,376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $322,200 | $159,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,225 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.7% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 38 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 375.0% | 42.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.1 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 18.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.9% | 8.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.0% | 18.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.5% | 54.9% | 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: Dyer, IN · Hammond, IN · How this is calculated: methodology