46408 ZIP Code — Gary, IN

Lake County, Indiana

ZIP code 46408 is located in Gary, Indiana, within Lake County. It covers approximately 9.74 square miles and serves a population of 15,368 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 219.

About ZIP code 46408

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $90,300. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 61%.

Median household income is $46,690. Poverty affects 27% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 23% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 40% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 26 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 11% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of obesity (47%), diabetes (18%), smoking (26%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 46408 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

15,368

population

9.74

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

46408 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 46408

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 46408. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Gary	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

46409 Gary (2.8 mi) 46404 Gary (2.8 mi) 46319 Griffith (3 mi) 46407 Gary (3.4 mi) 46322 Highland (4.2 mi) 46406 Gary (4.3 mi) 46402 Gary (5 mi) 46323 Hammond (5.2 mi) 46375 Schererville (5.3 mi) 46410 Merrillville (5.3 mi) 46405 Lake Station (6 mi) 46321 Munster (6.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	15,368
Population density	1,578 / sq mi
State FIPS	18
County FIPS	089

Geography
Land area	9.74 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	41.5448
Longitude	-87.3746
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	68.2%	43.6%	42.9%
$50k – $100k	24.5%	31.1%	32.7%
$100k – $200k	7.0%	21.2%	19.8%
Over $200k	0.3%	4.1%	4.5%

Demographics & statistics

15,368

Population

1,578

People per sq mi

37.7

Median age

$46,690

Median household income

$22,594

Per capita income

$90,300

Median home value

$949

Median monthly rent

61.3%

Home ownership

27.3%

Poverty rate

11.2%

Unemployment

5,418

Housing units

11.2%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

466

Under 5

513

553

5–9

610

487

10–14

537

566

15–19

623

367

20–24

405

943

25–34

1,038

717

35–44

790

1,026

45–54

1,129

453

55–59

499

511

60–64

562

823

65–74

906

300

75–84

330

102

85+

112

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	4,024	26.2%
18 and over	11,344	73.8%
65 and over	2,573	16.7%
Median age	37.7 years

Race & ethnicity

Black or African American 41.3%

White 34.9%

Hispanic or Latino 9.8%

Two or more races 9.7%

Other race 3.4%

Asian 0.8%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%

Group	Count	%
Black or African American	7,036	41.3%
White	5,950	34.9%
Hispanic or Latino	1,663	9.8%
Two or more races	1,649	9.7%
Other race	585	3.4%
Asian	131	0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	13	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	68.2%	43.6%	42.9%
$50k – $100k	24.5%	31.1%	32.7%
$100k – $200k	7.0%	21.2%	19.8%
Over $200k	0.3%	4.1%	4.5%

Under $10k 9.3%

$10k–$15k 6.8%

$15k–$25k 11.5%

$25k–$35k 9.3%

$35k–$50k 21.1%

$50k–$75k 17.6%

$75k–$100k 12.3%

$100k–$150k 9.3%

$150k–$200k 1.8%

$200k+ 0.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.3%
$10k–$15k	6.8%
$15k–$25k	11.5%
$25k–$35k	9.3%
$35k–$50k	21.1%
$50k–$75k	17.6%
$75k–$100k	12.3%
$100k–$150k	9.3%
$150k–$200k	1.8%
$200k+	0.9%
Median income	$46,690

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 19.8%

$50k–$100k 37.1%

$100k–$150k 17.9%

$150k–$200k 18.1%

$200k–$300k 3.6%

$300k–$500k 1.7%

$500k–$1M 1.1%

$1M+ 0.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$90,300
Median rent / month	$949
Owner occupied	61.3%
Renter occupied	38.7%
Vacant	22.9%
Single-family detached	83.6%
Large apartment buildings	2.2%
Mobile homes	6.4%
Median rooms	5.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.44

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.5%
2010–2019	1.0%
2000–2009	1.2%
1990–1999	2.4%
1980–1989	3.6%
1970–1979	5.8%
1960–1969	14.6%
1950–1959	28.9%
1940–1949	19.5%
1939 or earlier	22.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.0%
1 bedroom	6.7%
2 bedrooms	38.6%
3 bedrooms	40.1%
4 bedrooms	11.3%
5+ bedrooms	2.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	10.9%
1 vehicle	41.5%
2 vehicles	27.4%
3 or more	20.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	89.7%
Electricity	6.5%
Propane / LP gas	1.1%
Fuel oil	0.4%
Wood	0.8%
No fuel used	1.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,794	30.1%
Cohabiting couple	301	5.1%
Male householder, no spouse	1,464	24.6%
Female householder, no spouse	2,394	40.2%
Households with children under 18	1,579	26.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	2,063	34.7%
Average household size	2.57

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	41.2%	39.0%
Married	38.5%	30.6%
Separated	3.7%	2.8%
Widowed	3.6%	11.0%
Divorced	13.0%	16.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 5.3%

Some HS, no diploma 9.5%

HS graduate 43.3%

Some college, no degree 21.7%

Associate's degree 9.0%

Bachelor's degree 6.6%

Graduate / professional 4.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	85.2%
Bachelor's or higher	11.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	258	7.4%
Kindergarten	133	3.8%
Elementary school	1,788	51.5%
High school	917	26.4%
College / grad school	376	10.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 19.9%

Retail trade 17.0%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.5%

Manufacturing 12.2%

Transportation & utilities 9.8%

Professional & management 9.0%

Construction 5.8%

Other services 5.7%

Finance & real estate 3.3%

Information 1.5%

Wholesale trade 1.4%

Public administration 1.1%

Agriculture & mining 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	21.7%
Service	22.4%
Sales & office	22.3%
Natural resources & construction	8.1%
Production & transportation	25.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	90.0%
Government	6.0%
Self-employed	4.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.6%
Carpool	7.6%
Public transit	0.7%
Walk	0.7%
Work from home	3.8%
Other means	5.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	26.1

Poverty

All people 27.3%

Under 18 years 43.9%

18 and over 21.5%

Married-couple families 12.4%

Female-led households 31.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	39.5%
Retirement income	26.5%
Supplemental Security	8.3%
Cash public assistance	3.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	22.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	47.2%
High blood pressure	42.3%
High cholesterol	31.1%
Diabetes	17.9%
Heart disease	7.7%
Stroke	4.8%
Asthma	12.1%
Arthritis	30.5%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	9.8%
Cancer	5.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	26.4%
Binge drinking	13.9%
No physical activity	36.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	41.9%
Depression	19.9%
Fair or poor health	25.7%
Poor mental health	17.1%
Poor physical health	15.0%
No health insurance	19.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	79.1%
Visited dentist	48.5%
Cholesterol screening	88.6%
Teeth loss	24.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	715	6.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.4%
Under 18	10.0%
18–64 years	15.6%
65 and over	29.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	48.4%
Public insurance	57.6%
No insurance	8.1%
Uninsured under 19	3.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	14,389	93.6%
Spanish	352	2.4%
Other Indo-European	294	2.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	12	0.1%
Other languages	46	0.3%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	14,956	97.3%
Born in same state	14,863	96.7%
Born in different state	9,562	62.2%
Foreign born	93	0.6%
Naturalized citizen	412	2.7%
Not a US citizen	137	33.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	1,444	9.4%
French	625	4.1%
Arab	402	2.6%
English	173	1.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Irish	140	0.9%
Polish	27	0.2%
Norwegian	13	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	38.7%
Internet access	90.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 46408

What city is ZIP code 46408 in?

ZIP code 46408 is primarily assigned to Gary, Indiana.

What county is ZIP code 46408 in?

ZIP code 46408 falls within Lake County, Indiana.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46408?

27% of residents in ZIP code 46408 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 46408?

11% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 46408?

Health data for ZIP code 46408 shows elevated rates of obesity (47%) and diabetes (18%) and smoking (26%) compared to national benchmarks.

Does ZIP code 46408 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 46408 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 46408 in?

ZIP code 46408 observes the CST timezone.