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Living in
Portage.
About
Life in Portage
If you're considering Portage, you're looking at a stable, growing Midwest city that balances suburban living with real accessibility to Chicago and the broader Lake Michigan region. The population has ticked up 3.6% in recent years, and median home values hover around $224,000 with median household income at about $76,000—reasonable for the area. You'll find solid schools here, including an exemplary public school district with two Four Star schools, plus private options if that matters to your family.
Portage at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Foreign-Born
4.1%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Portage: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Portage, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (53.0%), and 8.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.8%
of residents
65 and Older
16.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.0%
of households
Married Couples
48.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% above IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Portage
In Portage, rent runs 16% above the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,850
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $266,172 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above IN average
Unemployment in Portage
Unemployment in Portage is 0.9 percentage points higher than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Portage Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute27.3 min avg
How Portage residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Portage, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 54% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 47 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 24% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Portage runs 24% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
250.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,133.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Portage Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Porter County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Porter County, which includes Portage, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 16 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.7M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Porter County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Porter County, which includes Portage, is typically good — 226 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
226
per year
Moderate Days
128
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Porter County, county-wide
Climate80°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Portage has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
40.8"
Annual Snowfall
40.3"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
117
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
131
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 18°F | 2.21" |
| Feb | 36°F | 21°F | 1.97" |
| Mar | 46°F | 30°F | 2.34" |
| Apr | 57°F | 40°F | 3.55" |
| May | 68°F | 50°F | 4.27" |
| Jun | 78°F | 60°F | 4.31" |
| Jul | 82°F | 64°F | 3.98" |
| Aug | 80°F | 63°F | 4.08" |
| Sep | 74°F | 56°F | 3.65" |
| Oct | 62°F | 45°F | 3.75" |
| Nov | 49°F | 34°F | 2.76" |
| Dec | 37°F | 24°F | 2.29" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Portage
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Portage's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
St Mary Medical Center Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.6 mi away · Hobart
Northwest Health - Porter
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Valparaiso
Methodist Hospitals Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Gary
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Portage
Portage's student/teacher ratio is 15.8:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 18.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Portage (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 2,661 students · in-state tuition $8,424 · 41% graduate · median earnings $48,764 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,083 students · in-state tuition $50,390 · 70% graduate · median earnings $69,661 (10 yrs after entry)
College of Court Reporting Inc
10.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 175 students · in-state tuition $10,080 · 15% graduate · median earnings $45,758 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Indiana Dunes National Park, 5 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Portage
Portage has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Indiana Dunes National Park (5 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Indiana Dunes National Park
National Park
5 mi awayPullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
23 mi awayPublic Libraries in Portage
Portage Public Library
2665 Irving Street, Portage
Cities Near Portage
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Portage?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Portage FAQ
Is Portage, Indiana affordable?⌄
Portage's median rent is $1,231/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $76,276/year. Median home value is $224,200.
Is Portage, Indiana safe?⌄
Portage's violent crime rate was 251 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1134 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Portage, Indiana?⌄
Portage has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Portage, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Portage is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,231/month and median household income is $76,276/year. The median home value is $224,200. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Portage, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Portage is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from