Indiana

Lake

498,700
2020 population
1840
first census record
19
census records

About Lake

Lake, Indiana, first appears in the United States federal census in 1840, when it recorded a population of 1,468. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 498,700.

Its recorded population peaked at 546,253 in 1970, and has since declined by roughly 9 percent.

On the ground today, 87 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020498,700
2010496,005
2000484,564
1990475,594
1980522,965
1970546,253
1960513,269
1950368,152
1940293,195
1930261,310
1920159,957
191082,864
190037,892
189023,886
188015,091
187012,339
18609,145
18503,991
18401,468
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Lake

National Register of Historic Places listings in Lake, Indiana.

SS CLIPPER
Hammond
St. Augustine's Episcopal Church
Gary
Pullman-Standard Historic District
Hammond
Indiana Harbor Public Library
East Chicago
Forest-Ivanhoe Residential Historic District
Hammond
Lake County Courthouse
Crown Point
Monroe Terrace Historic District
Gary
Hohman Avenue Commercial Historic District
Hammond
Van Buren Terrace Historic District
Gary
State Street Commercial Historic District
Hammond
First Unitarian Church of Hobart
Hobart
Gary Union Station
Gary
Dell Plain, Morse, House and Garden
Hammond
Griffith E.J. and E. Interlocking Tower
Griffith
Lake County Tuberculosis Sanatorium Nurses Home and Superintendent's House
Crown Point
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, School
Gary
Hobart Carnegie Library
Hobart
State Bank of Hammond Building
Hammond
Gary Public Schools Memorial Auditorium
Gary
Clark, Wellington A., House
Crown Point
Gary Land Company Building
Gary
Roselawn-Forest Heights Historic District
Hammond
Stallbohm Barn-Kaske House
Munster
Northern States Life Insurance Company
Hammond
Browse all Indianahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Indiana

Explore census history and historic records for more Indiana counties.

GibsonGrantGreeneHamiltonHancockHarrisonHendricksHenryHowardHuntingtonJacksonJasperJayJeffersonJenningsJohnsonKnoxKosciuskoLaGrangeLaPorte
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Lake County, Indiana

This page charts the census history of Lake County, Indiana. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Lake County, Indiana report
Or see a real report first

Explore Indiana records

Indianahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from Indiana›

Frequently asked about Lake

When does Lake first appear in the US census?
Lake, Indiana first appears in the federal census in 1840, with a recorded population of 1,468.
What is the population of Lake?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Lake had a recorded population of 498,700.
When did Lake's population peak?
Lake's recorded population peaked at 546,253 in 1970.
How many historic places are in Lake?
87 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lake, Indiana.
Aubrey Research

Research the history of any US location

Aubrey searches federal archives, archaeological records, historic registers, and primary sources to build a full historical report for any address or place in the United States.

Research your locationView a free sample report