Merrillville, IN

Census Place

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2021 Population

36,196

3.8% 1-year growth

US Senator

Todd Young

Republican Party

US Senator

Mike Braun

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

38.7

3.49% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

13.1%

28.5% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$61,230

3.39% 1-year decline

2021 Median Property Value

$151,800

7.97% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

16,372

2.46% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Merrillville, IN had a population of 36.2k people with a median age of 38.7 and a median household income of $61,230. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Merrillville, IN grew from 34,871 to 36,196, a 3.8% increase and its median household income declined from $63,381 to $61,230, a −3.39% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Merrillville, IN are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (44.9%), White (Non-Hispanic) (34.6%), White (Hispanic) (5.54%), Other (Hispanic) (5.45%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (4.56%).

None of the households in Merrillville, IN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.3% of the residents in Merrillville, IN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merrillville, IN are Denmark College (449603) (67 degrees awarded in 2021), Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville (51 degrees), and DeVry University-Indiana (482486) (11 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Merrillville, IN was $151,800, and the homeownership rate was 68.3%.

Most people in Merrillville, IN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Merrillville, IN was 2 cars per household.

United States Indiana Lake County, IN Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Lake County (Central) PUMA, IN Lake County (South) PUMA, IN

Population & Diversity

Merrillville, IN is home to a population of 36.2k people, from which 97.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 6.61% of Merrillville, IN residents were born outside of the country (2.39k people).

In 2021, there were 1.3 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (16.3k people) in Merrillville, IN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 12.5k White (Non-Hispanic) and 2.01k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.3%

2021 Citizenship

96.6%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.3% of Merrillville, IN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Merrillville, IN was 96.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Merrillville, IN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Merrillville, IN

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
16.3k ± 1.13k
White (Non-Hispanic)
12.5k ± 1.26k
White (Hispanic)
2.01k ± 695

15.9%

Hispanic Population

5.75k people

15.9% of the people in Merrillville, IN are hispanic (5.75k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Merrillville, IN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Indiana.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
100,393 ± 7,721 people
India
33,054 ± 4,453 people
China
20,560 ± 3,515 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Indiana was Mexico, the natal country of 100,393 Indiana residents, followed by India with 33,054 and China with 20,560.

Foreign-Born Population

6.61%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

2.39k people

7.38%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

2.57k people

As of 2021, 6.61% of Merrillville, IN residents (2.39k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merrillville, IN was 7.38%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Merrillville, IN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
705 ± 363
Gulf War (2001-)
467 ± 267
Gulf War (1990s)
388 ± 138

Merrillville, IN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.51 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Merrillville, IN employs 16.4k people. The largest industries in Merrillville, IN are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,946 people), Manufacturing (2,426 people), and Retail Trade (2,044 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($87,576), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($73,854), and Transportation & Warehousing ($73,750).

Males in Indiana have an average income that is 1.37 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,653. The income inequality in Indiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.449, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

16.4k

2021 Value

± 1,247

−2.46%

1 Year decline

± 10.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merrillville, IN declined at a rate of −2.46%, from 16.8k employees to 16.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merrillville, IN, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,994 people), Transportation Occupations (1,391 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,277 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Merrillville, IN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Indiana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

16.4k

2021 Value

± 1,247

−2.46%

1 Year decline

± 10.8%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merrillville, IN declined at a rate of −2.46%, from 16.8k employees to 16.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merrillville, IN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,946 people), Manufacturing (2,426 people), and Retail Trade (2,044 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Merrillville, IN, though some of these residents may live in Merrillville, IN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,856

Median earning men ± $6,528

$35,305

Median earning women ± $3,408

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($78,602), Manufacturing ($67,169), and Public Administration ($65,375).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($69,333), Public Administration ($64,875), and Construction ($50,294).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Indiana. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Indiana.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Indiana to other states, or from other states to Indiana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Indiana product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $74B, followed by Mixed freight ($43.5B) and Machinery ($35.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Indiana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Indiana.

$465B

2020 Value in Indiana

$895B

Projected 2050 Value in Indiana

92.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Indiana trade was $465B. This is expected to increase 92.4% to $895B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Indiana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Indiana to other states, or from other states to Indiana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$38.6B
Ohio
$37.8B
Michigan
$36.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Indiana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $38.6B, followed by Ohio with $37.8B and Michigan and $36.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Indiana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Indiana went to Donald J. Trump with 57% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.95%).

Todd Young and Mike Braun are the senators currently representing the state of Indiana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Indiana is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Merrillville, IN. Showing the available data for Indiana.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (57%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.95%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Indiana went to Donald J. Trump with 57% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.95%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Indiana for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Indiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Indiana.

Todd Young

Senator from Indiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Mike Braun

Senator from Indiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

Todd Young and Mike Braun are the senators currently representing Indiana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Indiana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Indiana

Indiana is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Indiana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Merrillville, IN awarded 129 degrees. The student population of Merrillville, IN in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 121 male students and 181 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merrillville, IN are White (59 and 45.7%), followed by Black or African American (35 and 27.1%), Hispanic or Latino (30 and 23.3%), and Two or More Races (2 and 1.55%).

The largest universities in Merrillville, IN by number of degrees awarded are Denmark College (449603) (67 and 51.9%), Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville (51 and 39.5%), and DeVry University-Indiana (482486) (11 and 8.53%).

The most popular majors in Merrillville, IN are General Cosmetology (61 and 47.3%), Barbering (54 and 41.9%), and Other Business Administration, Management, & Operations (4 and 3.1%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 302 students enrolled in Merrillville, IN, 40.1% men and 59.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 121 records, of which 80.2% were women and 19.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Cosmetology
61 degrees awarded
Barbering
54 degrees awarded
Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor
3 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Merrillville, IN was General Cosmetology with 61 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Merrillville, IN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Denmark College (449603)
67 degrees awarded
Paul Mitchell the School-Merrillville
51 degrees awarded
DeVry University-Indiana (482486)
11 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Denmark College (449603) with 67 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 49 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merrillville, IN, which is 0.613 times less than the 80 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 59 degrees mean that there were 1.69 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 35 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($14,392) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($640) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Indiana.

Measure

In 2021, 0.712% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.727% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Indiana.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.73M), Some college (1.13M), and Bachelors Degree (856k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Merrillville, IN was $151,800 in 2021, which is 0.62 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $140,600 to $151,800, a 7.97% increase. The homeownership rate in Merrillville, IN is 68.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Merrillville, IN have an average commute time of 29.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Merrillville, IN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Merrillville, IN is $61,230. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Merrillville, IN was Census Tract 425.01 with a value of $73,750, followed by Census Tract 424.01 and Census Tract 424.03, with respective values of $57,184 and $54,875.

Housing

Property

$151,800

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,439

$10,229

Median Property Taxes

±$1,030

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Merrillville, IN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Merrillville, IN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.3%

Homeownership

2021

61.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.3% of the housing units in Merrillville, IN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Merrillville, IN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 425.01
Census Tract 424.01
Census Tract 424.03

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merrillville, IN was Census Tract 425.01 with a value of $73,750, followed by Census Tract 424.01 and Census Tract 424.03, with respective values of $57,184 and $54,875.

The following map shows all of the places in Merrillville, IN colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$61,230

Median Household Income

± $7,570

15k

Number of Households

± 1,242

In 2021, the median household income of the 15k households in Merrillville, IN declined from $61,230 from the previous year's value of $63,381.

The following chart displays the households in Merrillville, IN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Merrillville, IN is from Indiana.

0.449

2021 Wage GINI in Indiana

0.451

2020 Wage GINI in Indiana

In 2021, the income inequality in Indiana was 0.449 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.514% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Indiana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Indiana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Indiana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (83.9%)
Carpooled (6.33%)
Worked At Home (5.03%)

In 2021, 83.9% of workers in Merrillville, IN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (6.33%) and those who worked at home (5.03%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

29.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merrillville, IN have a longer commute time (29.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.07% of the workforce in Merrillville, IN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Merrillville, IN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Merrillville, IN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Merrillville, IN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merrillville, IN (4.68k out of 35.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Merrillville, IN is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.5% of the population of Merrillville, IN has health coverage, with 48.7% on employee plans, 19.1% on Medicaid, 13.9% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 1.05% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lake County, IN see 1896 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.35% decrease from the previous year (1922 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1524 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 497 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Lake County, IN.

1,896 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lake County, IN

Primary care physicians in Lake County, IN see an average of 1,896 patients per year. This represents a 1.35% decrease from the previous year (1,922 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lake County, IN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 19.9% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.53%

Uninsured

48.7%

Employer Coverage

19.1%

Medicaid

13.9%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

1.05%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merrillville, IN grew by 14.3% from 4.84% to 5.53%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Merrillville, IN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.