Valparaiso receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hammond
Valparaiso
Opportunity: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs74 · Top 16%
Growth: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs64 · Top 25%
Climate: Hammond is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
81 · Top 23%
vs93 · Top 9%
Housing affordability: Hammond is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
85 · Top 43%
vs84 · Top 45%
Schools: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
8 · Bottom 1%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access: Hammond is the more favorable of the two.
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability: Valparaiso is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 19%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Hammond | Valparaiso | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,768 | 34,733 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,504 | $69,872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,736 | $38,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,376/sq mi | 2,026/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $159,900 | $267,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,134 | $1,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 40.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.1% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 27 | 157 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 42.1% | -17.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.00 | 15.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.7% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 18.2% | 59.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.9% | 30.7% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hammond
59
Your Score
58
Area Score
Valparaiso
75
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hammond, IN · Valparaiso, IN · How this is calculated: methodology