Hobart and Portage 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
Hobart
Portage
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs60 · Top 32%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs92 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs30 · Bottom 22%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 34%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 47%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Hobart | Portage | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,558 | 38,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,160 | $76,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,514 | $36,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,128/sq mi | 1,486/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $215,200 | $224,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,206 | $1,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.5% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 137 | 143 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.6 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 185.4% | -11.2% | 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 | 10 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 29.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.01 | 16.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.0% | 27.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.3% | 35.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.7% | 42.8% | 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: Hobart, IN · Portage, IN · How this is calculated: methodology