Whiting Memorial Community House · National Register of Historic Places
Whiting’s story
137 years in pictures
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1889Whiting is settled
WhitingIN
A town of 4,532, settled in 1889. Healthier than 90% of U.S. towns.
3 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
4,532
−8.8% since 2010
Typical home
$207K
+0.9% in a year
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
33.5
years
Jobs based here
2,891
A job hub
What makes Whiting stand out
The 3 things Whiting does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Whiting
Health
90% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than IN on 2 measures, worse on 17.
Outdoors
#92 most conserved land in IN
0.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
6.1% of the town is conserved land.
2,891jobs here
Work
2,891 jobs
based in Whiting, a regional job hub
15% of working residents work in town.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,649 people come to Whiting for work
Where Whiting’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,891jobs based in Whiting
15%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Whiting’s report card
Now in Whiting
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Whiting is #595 of 599 in IN for “Fewest uninsured”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Whiting’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Local news
All →- 10 Fun Things To Do in Northern Indiana this weekend, October 1 – October 4greatnews.life · Sep 29
- 10 Fun Things To Do in Northwest Indiana this weekend, January 19 – 22greatnews.life · Sep 29
- 10 Fun Things To Do in Northwest Indiana this weekend, August 10 – August 13greatnews.life · Sep 27
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Whiting. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Whiting beats the Indiana average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Indiana
2 better13 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Whiting | IN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.9% | 8.3% |
| Fewer adults with depression | 21.5% | 25.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 16.8% | 8.9% |
St. Catherine Hospital
2.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
7th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
6.1% of Whiting is conserved land
0.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
6.1%conserved
6.1%
conserved · 70 of 1,147 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#92
most conserved land in IN
#186
most walkable in IN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Whiting Lakefront Park | 0.7 mi | 26 |
| 2. Whihala Beach County Park | 0.1 mi | 17 |
| 3. Tom Smolen Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Whiting
Most working residents leave Whiting for work: only 15% work in town. The top destinations are Hammond (15%), Chicago (13%) and East Chicago (6%). Half commute less than 13 miles.
15%work in town
Where working residents work
In Whiting15%
Hammond15%
Chicago13%
East Chicago6%
Munster3%
13 mi
median commute distance
2,891
jobs based in Whiting
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Whiting home is worth about $207K
The typical Whiting home is worth about $207,000, up 0.9% in a year, 21% below the Indiana typical home.
$207KZillow home value
Typical home value
Whiting$207K
Indiana$260K
+0.9%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 24% of U.S. towns
Whiting reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 76% report less.
C−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Whiting3.4
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Whiting17.7
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
24th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
20th
percentile among IN towns
15
violent crimes reported in 2025
79
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Whiting has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 39 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–36°
Spring40–58°
Summer63–81°
Fall46–62°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 10
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 38% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 1981
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
College town
Calumet College of Saint Joseph calls Whiting home
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Landmarks
4 places in Whiting on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Whiting
City in Indiana, United States
Whiting ( WYTE-ing) is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago's South Side. Whiting is home to Whiting Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the Midwest. The population was 4,559 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1889
- Population
- 4,559
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 587 ft
- ZIP code
- 46394
- Area code
- 219
Whiting’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Whiting.
NorthHammondEast ChicagoWhiting
More about Whiting
Still missing for Whiting:archive photosupcoming events