The Town FilesGary, Indiana
City in Lake County · population 69,093 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $94,700
- Household income
- $38,731
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 36.5
Gary is a city of 69,093 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $94,700, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 94% of Indiana towns, better transit than 94% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Gary 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 Gary is worth $94,700, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $38,731, which is more affordable than 58% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,012 a month. 49.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gary | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $94,700 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,012 | $888 |
| Median household income | $38,731 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.1% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Gary
| People | Gary | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 33.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Gary
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 32.6 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
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gary since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 24, 1967 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 24 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 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 191,633 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,200 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Gary itself the ACS puts it at 11%.
Public schools in Gary
22 public schools with 10,527 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary (charter) | K-12 | 1,213 | 12.1 |
| Gary Lighthouse Charter School (charter) | K-12 | 1,066 | 11.6 |
| West Side Leadership Academy | 9-12 | 998 | 21.2 |
| Thea Bowman Leadership Academy (charter) | K-12 | 849 | 17.7 |
| Charter School of the Dunes (charter) | K-8 | 674 | 15.7 |
| Calumet New Tech High School | 9-12 | 612 | 15.3 |
| Aspire Charter Academy (charter) | K-8 | 576 | 18.0 |
| Glen Park Acad for Excel in Lrn | K-5 | 533 | 22.2 |
| Longfellow New Tech Elementary Sch | K-4 | 486 | 16.2 |
| Daniel Hale Williams Elem Sch | K-5 | 448 | 20.4 |
| Lake Ridge New Tech Middle School | 5-8 | 432 | 15.4 |
| Frankie Woods McCullough Academy | PK-5 | 416 | 18.1 |
Towns near Gary
- Lake Station, IN5.0 mi · 13,235 people · home $137,400
- Griffith, IN5.9 mi · 16,528 people · home $210,100
- Hobart, IN6.5 mi · 29,752 people · home $215,200
- Highland, IN6.5 mi · 23,984 people · home $233,300
- East Chicago, IN6.8 mi · 26,370 people · home $105,400
- Hammond, IN7.9 mi · 77,879 people · home $159,900
- Merrillville, IN8.3 mi · 36,444 people · home $211,400
- Portage, IN8.7 mi · 37,926 people · home $224,200
Gary questions
Is Gary, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gary scores better for retirees than 6% of Indiana towns and quieter than 5%. 18.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.5).
How much does a house cost in Gary?
The median owner-occupied home in Gary is valued at $94,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,731, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,012 a month.
What is the weather like in Gary?
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 32.6 inches of snow.
Does Gary get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gary since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 24, 1967. 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)