The Town FilesChesterton, Indiana
Town in Porter County · population 14,241 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $300,900
- Household income
- $91,060
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 38.4
Chesterton is a town of 14,241 people in Porter County, Indiana. The median home is worth $300,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks hipper than 94% of Indiana towns, more of a college town than 94% of Indiana towns, better for cycling than 94% of Indiana towns.
How Chesterton ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chesterton is worth $300,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $91,060, which is more affordable than 12% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,274 a month. 75.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chesterton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $300,900 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,274 | $888 |
| Median household income | $91,060 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 75.1% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Chesterton
| People | Chesterton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Chesterton
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesterton since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1976 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 7, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 6, 2026.
Severe weather in Porter County since 1996
Porter County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Porter County
Porter County had 63,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,217 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Chesterton itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Chesterton
8 public schools with 5,079 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterton Senior High School | 9-12 | 1,985 | 17.6 |
| Chesterton Middle School | 7-8 | 870 | 15.3 |
| Liberty Elementary School | K-4 | 530 | 16.1 |
| Westchester Intermediate School | 5-6 | 485 | 15.6 |
| Bailly Elementary School | K-4 | 393 | 14.6 |
| Brummitt Elementary School | K-4 | 362 | 12.9 |
| Liberty Intermediate School | 5-6 | 354 | 15.4 |
| Trojan Virtual Academy | K-12 | 100 | 50.0 |
Towns near Chesterton
- Porter, IN2.4 mi · 5,210 people · home $267,700
- South Haven, IN6.1 mi · 5,084 people · home $178,200
- Portage, IN6.5 mi · 37,926 people · home $224,200
- Valparaiso, IN8.3 mi · 34,151 people · home $267,300
- Westville, IN8.9 mi · 5,257 people · home $139,300
- Lake Station, IN10.3 mi · 13,235 people · home $137,400
- Shorewood Forest, IN10.8 mi · 3,033 people · home $479,100
- Michigan City, IN12.3 mi · 32,075 people · home $143,100
Chesterton questions
Is Chesterton, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chesterton scores better for retirees than 75% of Indiana towns and quieter than 14%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Chesterton?
The median owner-occupied home in Chesterton is valued at $300,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,060, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,274 a month.
What is the weather like in Chesterton?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 40.3 inches of snow.
Does Chesterton get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chesterton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 1976. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)