Michigan City-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
Michigan City-La Porte
Elkhart-Goshen
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
49 · Top 50%
vs52 · Top 46%
Climate
62 · Bottom 35%
vs62 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
91 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs98 · Top 34%
Access
89 · Top 27%
vs89 · Top 26%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 33%
vs67 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Michigan City-La Porte | Elkhart-Goshen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 111,917 | 207,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,055 | $68,561 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,395 | $32,936 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 187/sq mi | 447/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $195,500 | $210,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $976 | $1,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 286 | 642 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 17.7% | 12.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 34.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
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Michigan City-La Porte
71
Your Score
73
Area Score
Elkhart-Goshen
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
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Full profiles: Michigan City-La Porte, IN Metro Area · Elkhart-Goshen, IN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology