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.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Porter ranks

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#5Most conserved land in IN #11Most trails in IN #61Fewest uninsured in IN All IN rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP codeSign in to add

Area code219

Living in Porter

Housing in Porter

$332K Median sale price · Redfin, May 2026

The median sale price was $332,000 in May 2026.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market21

Sale-to-list95.5%

Sold in May6

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Porter

—

Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Porter's police department reported only 2024 and 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Porter 0.2

Indiana 3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Porter 3.3

Indiana 12.5

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Porter

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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.

Chesterton

10%

Valparaiso

Portage

Chicago, IL

8%Work in townlive and work in Porter 14 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 5,114Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Porter →

Health in Porter

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 51% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Indiana

8better than IN

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 24 are too close to call.

Conditions 2▲ 10 close Habits all close Care 2▲ 5 close Mind all close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

10.1%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethIN 15.4% · better 11.5%Fewer adults facing food insecurityIN 14.7% · better

Care nearby

Northwest Health - PorterValparaiso · 5.6 mi · ER

Northshore Chesterton Health CenterChesterton · 1.5 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Porter · CMS · HRSAHealth in Porter →

Natural hazards in Porter

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 26% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

7Does Porter flood?paid flood claims since 1987 3Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Porter MapPorter vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Porter →

Climate in Porter

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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.

35° / 21°Winter

58° / 39°Spring

81° / 62°Summer

62° / 45°Fall