Jobs, pay and daily life in Portage, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Portage is a city in Indiana with 38,082 residents. The median household earns $76,276 a year and the median rent is $1,231 a month, which is 19.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 4,513,280 jobs.
How Portage compares. Among the 80 largest places in Indiana, Portage is #24 by population, #63 for remote work (#1 = most), #61 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #60 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Porter County, is #20 of 92 counties for average pay ($58,217).
Portage has 38,082 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Indiana. It covers 26 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,486 people per square mile. The median age is 39.8, 4% older than the state median (39.8 against 38.1).
The median gross rent is $1,231 a month (rent plus utilities), 16% above the state median ($1,231 against $1,062). Over a year that is 19.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $224,200, which is 2.9 times the median household income ($76,276); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 72.9% of households own their home, 3% above the state average (72.9% against 70.5%).
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area has 4,513,280 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $54,720 a year, 7% above the national median ($54,720 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (488,940 jobs, median $48,840); transportation and material moving (484,580 jobs, median $45,920); management (404,010 jobs, median $131,890). The area is most specialised in management (1.2 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($131,890) and legal ($112,440). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Porter County was 3.9%. 64.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Porter County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 83.5% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 0.3% walk, 5.5% work from home. 16.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 28% above the state average (16.3% against 12.7%).
18.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% below the state share (18.4% against 29.5%). 4.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 35% below the state share (4.1% against 6.3%). The poverty rate is 11.6%, 6% below the state rate (11.6% against 12.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 25°F (-3.7°C). About 984 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (111 mm) and Feb the driest (56 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Lake Station (4 miles, rent 9% lower); Chesterton (6 miles, rent 3% higher); Hobart (7 miles, similar rent); Gary (9 miles, rent 18% lower). Rent differences are against Portage; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Indiana (770) →State guide: IndianaCountry guidePorter CountyIndiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 770 federal postings open in Indiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Indiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 157,920 | 1.84 | $40,550 | $31,860 | $56,440 | +1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 122,930 | 1.21 | $109,390 | $58,000 | $298,090 | +3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 108,520 | 0.87 | $38,180 | $35,030 | $42,500 | +7% |
| Registered Nurses | 100,240 | 1.02 | $100,490 | $77,410 | $119,260 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 99,240 | 1.11 | $35,010 | $31,200 | $41,280 | +6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 97,280 | 0.87 | $34,630 | $31,200 | $38,610 | +11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 96,950 | 0.86 | $35,820 | $31,200 | $48,580 | +1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 79,850 | 0.97 | $38,450 | $33,310 | $49,100 | +3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 75,240 | 1.00 | $47,100 | $34,480 | $71,530 | +5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 70,000 | 1.09 | $38,470 | $32,760 | $50,000 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 66,840 | 0.93 | $46,330 | $32,580 | $72,910 | +3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 62,210 | 1.04 | $62,300 | $41,300 | $88,230 | +6% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 55,730 | 1.53 | $70,710 | $39,570 | $154,540 | +1% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 54,100 | 0.82 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $50,410 | -11% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 50,190 | 1.01 | $50,440 | $34,300 | $78,820 | +6% |
| Security Guards | 48,360 | 1.30 | $39,990 | $35,940 | $64,180 | +5% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 47,970 | 1.18 | $43,650 | $34,160 | $61,580 | -2% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 46,770 | 1.13 | $37,840 | $31,200 | $48,100 | +3% |
| Nursing Assistants | 45,850 | 1.09 | $46,940 | $38,980 | $54,450 | +11% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 45,840 | 1.14 | $78,390 | $48,960 | $105,250 | +23% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 3,610 | 0.61 | $344,960 | $142,940 | $599,520 | +61% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 6,360 | 2.11 | $293,490 | $179,840 | $429,040 | +26% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 840 | 0.56 | $265,880 | $103,490 | $479,410 | +12% |
| Psychiatrists | 600 | 0.74 | $258,750 | $134,770 | $487,560 | -8% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 960 | 1.01 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | n/a |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 680 | 0.35 | $226,060 | $67,080 | $521,810 | -12% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,430 | 0.46 | $225,080 | $94,990 | $320,380 | -8% |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 1,120 | 1.81 | $208,000 | $208,000 | $369,800 | -29% |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 850 | 1.30 | $189,780 | $89,690 | $225,680 | +28% |
| Pediatricians, General | 860 | 0.75 | $188,340 | $106,520 | $379,260 | -10% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 24,950 | 1.28 | $173,760 | $112,980 | $280,060 | -1% |
| Financial Managers | 41,590 | 1.70 | $168,810 | $103,490 | $321,200 | +1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 2,270 | 0.72 | $167,040 | $87,010 | $293,270 | -0% |
| Lawyers | 28,320 | 1.29 | $165,660 | $87,070 | $331,140 | +4% |
| Marketing Managers | 17,400 | 1.52 | $165,340 | $98,400 | $277,220 | -1% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 6,670 | 1.04 | $163,430 | $112,440 | $235,240 | -5% |
| Sales Managers | 25,390 | 1.37 | $158,690 | $80,060 | $288,430 | +7% |
| Commercial Pilots | 840 | 0.61 | $157,420 | $51,890 | $376,830 | +28% |
| Human Resources Managers | 10,810 | 1.69 | $156,770 | $93,230 | $270,150 | +5% |
| Dentists, General | 5,910 | 1.64 | $156,100 | $123,920 | $290,850 | -9% |
These figures are for the whole Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $54,720 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Manufacturing | 18.9% |
| Retail trade | 10.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.8% |
| Other services | 7.3% |
| Construction | 7.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Information | 0.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Portage lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter County | 174,818 | $9,875 million | $56,489 | 63,768 | 4,215 | $58,217 | +0.6% | 3.9% | 89,874 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,735 | 17.9% | $58,188 | 1.06 |
| Manufacturing | 9,713 | 17.9% | $88,224 | 1.85 |
| Retail trade | 7,165 | 13.2% | $35,432 | 1.13 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,677 | 12.3% | $21,897 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 4,796 | 8.8% | $86,298 | 1.43 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,237 | 6.0% | $66,511 | 0.73 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,588 | 4.8% | $36,723 | 1.35 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,426 | 4.5% | $49,346 | 0.65 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,410 | 4.4% | $62,171 | 0.89 |
| Educational services | 1,942 | 3.6% | $37,551 | 1.47 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,275 | 2.3% | $86,524 | 0.49 |
| Information | 739 | 1.4% | $58,206 | 0.62 |
| Real estate and rental | 673 | 1.2% | $53,245 | 0.68 |
| Management of companies | 524 | 1.0% | $100,642 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 424 | 0.8% | $28,307 | 0.40 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 83.5% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 0.3% |
| Work from home | 5.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 16.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,276 |
| Income per person | $36,293 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,231 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.4% |
| Median home value | $224,200 |
| Homeowners | 72.9% |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 103.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $54,720 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.4% |
| Born abroad | 4.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.7 | 25 | 58 |
| Feb | -2.8 | 27 | 56 |
| Mar | 2.8 | 37 | 62 |
| Apr | 9.0 | 48 | 90 |
| May | 14.9 | 59 | 111 |
| Jun | 20.5 | 69 | 98 |
| Jul | 23.3 | 74 | 101 |
| Aug | 22.7 | 73 | 108 |
| Sep | 18.9 | 66 | 80 |
| Oct | 11.7 | 53 | 95 |
| Nov | 4.9 | 41 | 65 |
| Dec | -0.9 | 30 | 60 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Station | IN | 4 mi | 13,185 | $59,591 | $1,124 |
| Chesterton | IN | 6 mi | 14,446 | $91,060 | $1,274 |
| Hobart | IN | 7 mi | 29,558 | $75,160 | $1,206 |
| Gary | IN | 9 mi | 68,113 | $38,731 | $1,012 |
| Valparaiso | IN | 10 mi | 34,733 | $69,872 | $1,224 |
| Merrillville | IN | 11 mi | 36,476 | $67,587 | $1,282 |
| Griffith | IN | 13 mi | 16,273 | $76,636 | $1,235 |
| East Chicago | IN | 15 mi | 26,022 | $42,125 | $854 |
| Highland | IN | 15 mi | 23,680 | $78,062 | $1,230 |
| Crown Point | IN | 15 mi | 34,393 | $101,686 | $1,485 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
38,082 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,231 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.4% of the median household income.
$76,276 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.9% (BLS county, Porter County (latest month 2026M09)).
Indiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.