Joseph Bailly Homestead · National Register of Historic Places
Porter’s story
Porter in pictures
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
PorterIN
A town of 5,217. Nearly 29.2% of it is conserved land.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Chris Light (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
5,217
+7.2% since 2010
Median home value
$268K
Census ACS
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
5,114
A job hub
What makes Porter stand out
The 3 things Porter does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#5 most conserved land in IN
9.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
29.2% of the town is conserved land.
5,114jobs here
Work
5,114 jobs
based in Porter, a regional job hub
8% of working residents work in town.
100 U.S. towns● Porter
Health
Healthier than 51%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than IN on 8 measures, worse on 0.
Get outside
10 miles of trails in Porter
29.2% of the town is conserved land, across 3 parks and preserves.
2
Hawthorne Park0.3 mi of trails · 16 acres
3
J.D. Marshall Underwater Preserve17 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Porter’s report card
Now in Porter
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Porter is #5 of 521 in IN for “Most conserved land”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Porter’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →72°
Clear
H 68° · L 52°
Local news
All →- ‘It’s Not All On Joey:’ Ramsey Defends Porter Jr. After Steelers ExitSteelers Depot · Oct 2
- Steelers’ Mike McCarthy Breaks Silence on Joey Porter Jr. Trade to Cowboysheavy.com · Oct 2
- Joey Porter Jr. Hopes To Finish Career With Cowboysprofootballrumors.com · Oct 2
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Porter. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a quarter of Porter is conserved land
9.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
#11for trails in IN
29.2%
conserved · 1,202 of 4,117 acres
9.5 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
#5
most conserved land in IN
#209
most walkable in IN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Indiana Dunes National Park | 8.9 mi | 1,263 |
| 2. Hawthorne Park | 0.3 mi | 16 |
| 3. J.D. Marshall Underwater Preserve | — | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Porter
Most working residents leave Porter for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are Chesterton (10%), Valparaiso (9%) and Portage (8%). Half commute less than 14 miles.
8%work in town
Where working residents work
In Porter8%
Chesterton10%
Valparaiso9%
Portage8%
Chicago5%
14 mi
median commute distance
5,114
jobs based in Porter
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 51% of U.S. towns
Porter beats the Indiana average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Indiana
8 better24 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Porter | IN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.1% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.5% | 14.7% |
Northwest Health - Porter
5.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
80th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 26% of U.S. communities.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
7
paid flood claims since 1987
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Porter has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–35°
Spring39–58°
Summer62–81°
Fall45–62°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Porter
Porter's reported crime rate is well below Indiana's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Porter0.2
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Porter3.3
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
17
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
Homes in Porter sell for about $332K
The median sale price was $332,000 in May 2026.
$332Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
21
days on market
95.5%
sale-to-list price
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
A job hub
Every workday, about 4,933 people come to Porter for work
Where Porter’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,114jobs based in Porter
8%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
5 places in Porter on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Porter
Town in Indiana, United States
Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 5,210 as of the 2020 census. Porter is in the Indiana Dunes ecosystem, which played a role in the creation of The Nature Conservancy, and inspired conservation efforts. It is home to Porter Beach, also known as Johnson's Beach, on Lake Michigan. Porter is located near Indiana Dunes State Park and on the southern railroad terminus of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 5,210
- Area
- 6.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 640 ft
- Area code
- 219
Porter’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Porter.
ChestertonDune AcresBurns HarborPorter
More about Porter
Still missing for Porter:archive photosupcoming events