46304 ZIP Code — Chesterton, IN
Porter County, Indiana
ZIP code 46304 is located in Chesterton, Indiana, within Porter County. It covers approximately 57.78 square miles and serves a population of 27,204 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 219.
About ZIP code 46304
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $255,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $86,263.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 34% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
27,204
population
57.78
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
46304 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 46304
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 46304. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Chesterton | Acceptable |
| Chesterton | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
46368 Portage (7.2 mi)
46391 Westville (8.2 mi)
46360 Michigan City (9.8 mi)
46403 Gary (11.1 mi)
46385 Valparaiso (11.5 mi)
46383 Valparaiso (11.7 mi)
46405 Lake Station (12.1 mi)
46342 Hobart (12.3 mi)
46407 Gary (15.1 mi)
46409 Gary (15.4 mi)
46350 La Porte (15.5 mi)
46402 Gary (15.7 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 27,204 |
| Population density | 471 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 18 |
| County FIPS | 127 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 57.78 sq mi |
| Water area | 4.00 sq mi |
| Latitude | 41.6188 |
| Longitude | -87.0394 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 219 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 28.9% | 34.9% | 42.9% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.6% | 32.3% | 32.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 31.5% | 26.2% | 19.8% |
| Over $200k | 7.9% | 6.7% | 4.5% |
Demographics & statistics
27,204
Population
471
People per sq mi
39.1
Median age
$86,263
Median household income
$44,804
Per capita income
$255,700
Median home value
$1,121
Median monthly rent
77.1%
Home ownership
9.1%
Poverty rate
6.0%
Unemployment
9,102
Housing units
34.4%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
938
Under 5
945
779
5–9
785
794
10–14
800
726
15–19
732
623
20–24
629
1,771
25–34
1,785
2,198
35–44
2,215
1,640
45–54
1,654
889
55–59
897
822
60–64
829
1,474
65–74
1,485
611
75–84
616
282
85+
285
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 6,169 | 22.7% |
| 18 and over | 21,035 | 77.3% |
| 65 and over | 4,753 | 17.5% |
| Median age | 39.1 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
85.5%
Two or more races
5.5%
Hispanic or Latino
4.5%
Asian
1.8%
Black or African American
1.4%
Other race
1.4%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 24,337 | 85.5% |
| Two or more races | 1,559 | 5.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,273 | 4.5% |
| Asian | 515 | 1.8% |
| Black or African American | 400 | 1.4% |
| Other race | 393 | 1.4% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 28.9% | 34.9% | 42.9% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.6% | 32.3% | 32.7% |
| $100k – $200k | 31.5% | 26.2% | 19.8% |
| Over $200k | 7.9% | 6.7% | 4.5% |
Under $10k
3.7%
$10k–$15k
2.4%
$15k–$25k
4.5%
$25k–$35k
7.1%
$35k–$50k
10.8%
$50k–$75k
14.8%
$75k–$100k
15.6%
$100k–$150k
21.2%
$150k–$200k
11.0%
$200k+
9.0%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 3.7% |
| $10k–$15k | 2.4% |
| $15k–$25k | 4.5% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.1% |
| $35k–$50k | 10.8% |
| $50k–$75k | 14.8% |
| $75k–$100k | 15.6% |
| $100k–$150k | 21.2% |
| $150k–$200k | 11.0% |
| $200k+ | 9.0% |
| Median income | $86,263 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.7%
$50k–$100k
2.8%
$100k–$150k
8.4%
$150k–$200k
15.7%
$200k–$300k
37.1%
$300k–$500k
25.7%
$500k–$1M
6.6%
$1M+
0.9%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,700 |
| Median rent / month | $1,121 |
| Owner occupied | 77.1% |
| Renter occupied | 22.9% |
| Vacant | 5.1% |
| Single-family detached | 72.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 1.9% |
| Mobile homes | 2.9% |
| Median rooms | 6.1 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.56 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.1% |
| 2010–2019 | 10.6% |
| 2000–2009 | 18.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 14.4% |
| 1980–1989 | 7.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 14.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 9.3% |
| 1950–1959 | 9.8% |
| 1940–1949 | 3.5% |
| 1939 or earlier | 12.1% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.2% |
| 1 bedroom | 4.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 21.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 45.8% |
| 4 bedrooms | 22.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 3.7% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 4.0% |
| 1 vehicle | 30.5% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.6% |
| 3 or more | 23.8% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 90.3% |
| Electricity | 7.1% |
| Propane / LP gas | 1.6% |
| Fuel oil | 0.2% |
| Wood | 0.1% |
| Solar | 0.3% |
| No fuel used | 0.4% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 5,704 | 51.6% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,127 | 10.2% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,912 | 17.3% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 2,301 | 20.8% |
| Households with children under 18 | 3,445 | 31.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 3,179 | 28.8% |
| Average household size | 2.44 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 28.8% | 26.1% |
| Married | 55.1% | 51.3% |
| Separated | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Widowed | 3.4% | 8.0% |
| Divorced | 11.7% | 13.6% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.1%
Some HS, no diploma
2.8%
HS graduate
31.7%
Some college, no degree
20.7%
Associate's degree
9.3%
Bachelor's degree
23.7%
Graduate / professional
10.6%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 96.1% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.4% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 539 | 9.1% |
| Kindergarten | 300 | 5.1% |
| Elementary school | 2,261 | 38.1% |
| High school | 1,399 | 23.6% |
| College / grad school | 1,440 | 24.2% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Manufacturing
19.1%
Education & healthcare
18.7%
Finance & real estate
11.9%
Retail trade
8.9%
Construction
8.6%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.1%
Professional & management
7.8%
Transportation & utilities
5.9%
Other services
4.8%
Public administration
2.1%
Wholesale trade
2.0%
Information
1.7%
Agriculture & mining
0.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 44.2% |
| Service | 12.0% |
| Sales & office | 16.8% |
| Natural resources & construction | 11.6% |
| Production & transportation | 15.4% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 86.1% |
| Government | 9.2% |
| Self-employed | 4.8% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.5% |
| Carpool | 5.4% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 14.6% |
| Other means | 1.0% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 26.0 |
Poverty
All people
9.1%
Under 18 years
11.6%
18 and over
8.4%
Married-couple families
3.3%
Female-led households
27.2%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 29.5% |
| Retirement income | 26.8% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.7% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.2% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 3.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 35.5% |
| High blood pressure | 32.6% |
| High cholesterol | 31.4% |
| Diabetes | 9.3% |
| Heart disease | 5.8% |
| Stroke | 2.5% |
| Asthma | 9.7% |
| Arthritis | 23.8% |
| Kidney disease | 2.5% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.7% |
| Cancer | 6.4% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 17.3% |
| Binge drinking | 16.7% |
| No physical activity | 22.1% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 32.9% |
| Depression | 21.1% |
| Fair or poor health | 12.6% |
| Poor mental health | 14.3% |
| Poor physical health | 9.5% |
| No health insurance | 11.4% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 74.3% |
| Visited dentist | 65.6% |
| Cholesterol screening | 89.8% |
| Teeth loss | 11.9% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,550 | 7.4% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 11.0% |
| Under 18 | 4.1% |
| 18–64 years | 8.7% |
| 65 and over | 28.4% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 83.0% |
| Public insurance | 28.6% |
| No insurance | 4.3% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 1.9% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 25,321 | 93.1% |
| Spanish | 268 | 1.1% |
| Other Indo-European | 144 | 0.6% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 66 | 0.3% |
| Other languages | 58 | 0.2% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 26,033 | 95.7% |
| Born in same state | 25,887 | 95.2% |
| Born in different state | 17,429 | 64.1% |
| Foreign born | 146 | 0.5% |
| Naturalized citizen | 1,171 | 4.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 814 | 69.5% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 4,029 | 14.8% |
| French | 2,697 | 9.9% |
| Arab | 774 | 2.8% |
| English | 614 | 2.3% |
| Polish | 410 | 1.5% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Irish | 247 | 0.9% |
| German | 143 | 0.5% |
| Norwegian | 103 | 0.4% |
| Dutch | 81 | 0.3% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 40.6% |
| Internet access | 95.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 46304
What city is ZIP code 46304 in?
ZIP code 46304 is primarily assigned to Chesterton, Indiana.
What county is ZIP code 46304 in?
ZIP code 46304 falls within Porter County, Indiana.
What is the population of ZIP code 46304?
ZIP code 46304 has an estimated population of 27,204 residents, with a density of 471 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 46304?
The median household income in ZIP code 46304 is $86,263, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 46304?
The median home value in ZIP code 46304 is $255,700.
What timezone is ZIP code 46304 in?
ZIP code 46304 observes the CST timezone.