La Porte receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
La Porte
Michigan City
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
51 · Top 50%
vs39 · Bottom 31%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
56 · Top 43%
vs30 · Bottom 22%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs86 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | La Porte | Michigan City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,449 | 31,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,307 | $53,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,823 | $29,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,774/sq mi | 1,542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,500 | $143,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $948 | $967 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.4% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 19.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 94 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.1% | -6.7% | 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 | 22 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.53 | 13.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.8% | 27.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.4% | 28.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.4% | 68.9% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
La Porte
69
Your Score
70
Area Score
Michigan City
61
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: La Porte, IN · Michigan City, IN · How this is calculated: methodology