The Town FilesWhiting, Indiana
City in Lake County · population 4,559 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $198,900
- Household income
- $71,708
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 33.5
Whiting is a city of 4,559 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $198,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 99% of Indiana towns, better transit than 99% of Indiana towns.
How Whiting 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 Whiting is worth $198,900, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $71,708, which is more affordable than 34% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,004 a month. 53.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whiting | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,900 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,004 | $888 |
| Median household income | $71,708 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 53.0% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Whiting
| People | Whiting | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Whiting
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whiting since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 5.2 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 517 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 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 Whiting itself the ACS puts it at 11.3%.
Public schools in Whiting
4 public schools with 1,341 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whiting High School | 9-12 | 422 | 18.3 |
| Nathan Hale Elementary School | PK-5 | 405 | 15.6 |
| Benjamin Franklin Elementary Sch | PK-6 | 258 | 12.9 |
| Whiting Middle School | 6-8 | 256 | 17.1 |
Towns near Whiting
- East Chicago, IN2.4 mi · 26,370 people · home $105,400
- Hammond, IN3.8 mi · 77,879 people · home $159,900
- Burnham, IL3.9 mi · 4,046 people · home $161,300
- Calumet City, IL6.0 mi · 36,033 people · home $145,200
- Dolton, IL6.5 mi · 21,426 people · home $151,300
- South Holland, IL8.0 mi · 21,465 people · home $217,200
- Riverdale, IL8.1 mi · 10,663 people · home $113,800
- Lansing, IL8.1 mi · 29,076 people · home $177,000
Whiting questions
Is Whiting, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whiting scores better for retirees than 6% of Indiana towns and quieter than 1%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Whiting?
The median owner-occupied home in Whiting is valued at $198,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,708, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,004 a month.
What is the weather like in Whiting?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 33.1 inches of snow.
Does Whiting get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whiting since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 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)