The Town FilesHobart, Indiana
City in Lake County · population 29,752 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $215,200
- Household income
- $75,160
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 39.5
Hobart is a city of 29,752 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $215,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better transit than 93% of Indiana towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Hobart 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 Hobart is worth $215,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $75,160, which is more affordable than 29% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,206 a month. 69.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hobart | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $215,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,206 | $888 |
| Median household income | $75,160 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 69.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hobart
| People | Hobart | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hobart
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hobart since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 24, 1967 about 3.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 27, 1991.
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 Hobart itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Hobart
9 public schools with 5,363 students, about 18.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart High School | 9-12 | 1,343 | 19.5 |
| Hobart Middle School | 6-8 | 916 | 18.3 |
| Veterans Elementary School at Mundell | 1-5 | 588 | 19.6 |
| River Forest High School | 9-12 | 567 | 20.3 |
| Joan Martin Elementary School | 1-5 | 499 | 19.2 |
| Liberty Elementary School | 1-5 | 408 | 18.5 |
| River Forest Middle School | 6-8 | 374 | 16.3 |
| John I Meister Elementary School | K-5 | 364 | 15.8 |
| Early Learning Center-George Earle | PK-K | 304 | 20.3 |
Towns near Hobart
- Merrillville, IN3.6 mi · 36,444 people · home $211,400
- Lake Station, IN4.5 mi · 13,235 people · home $137,400
- Gary, IN6.5 mi · 69,093 people · home $94,700
- Winfield, IN7.0 mi · 7,181 people · home $409,500
- Portage, IN7.2 mi · 37,926 people · home $224,200
- South Haven, IN7.2 mi · 5,084 people · home $178,200
- Shorewood Forest, IN7.6 mi · 3,033 people · home $479,100
- Griffith, IN7.7 mi · 16,528 people · home $210,100
Hobart questions
Is Hobart, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hobart scores better for retirees than 20% of Indiana towns and quieter than 21%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Hobart?
The median owner-occupied home in Hobart is valued at $215,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,160, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,206 a month.
What is the weather like in Hobart?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does Hobart get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hobart 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)