Porter County, Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Porter County, Indiana | |
Map | |
Location in the state of Indiana |
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Indiana's location in the U.S. |
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Statistics | |
Founded | 1836 |
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Seat | Valparaiso |
Area - Total - Land - Water |
522 sq mi (1,352 km²) 418 sq mi (1,083 km²) 104 sq mi (269 km²), 19.84% |
Population - (2000) - Density |
146,798 351/sq mi (136/km²) |
Website: www.porterco.org |
Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 146,798. The county seat is Valparaiso[1]. This county is part of Northwest Indiana.
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[edit] History
Porter County was formed in 1836. From 1832 to 1836, the area that was to become Porter County was part of La Porte County[2]. It was named for Capt. David Porter, naval officer during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.[3]
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 522 square miles (1,351 km²), of which, 418 square miles (1,083 km²) of it is land and 104 square miles (268 km²) of it is water, most of it in Lake Michigan. The total area is 19.84% water.
[edit] Major highways
- Interstate 80
- Interstate 90
- Interstate 94
- U.S. Route 6
- U.S. Route 12
- U.S. Route 20
- U.S. Route 30
- Indiana State Road 2
- Indiana State Road 8
- Indiana State Road 49
- Indiana State Road 130
- Indiana State Road 149
- Indiana State Road 249
- Indiana State Road 520
[edit] Railroads
- Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
- Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
- Chicago, Southshore and South Bend Railroad
- CSX Transportation
- Norfolk Southern Railway
- Canadian National(Formerly Grand Trunk Western)
[edit] Adjacent counties
- LaPorte County (east)
- Starke County (southeast)
- Jasper County (south)
- Lake County (west)
- Cook County, Illinois (northwest, boundary in Lake Michigan)
- Berrien County, Michigan (northeast, boundary in Lake Michigan)
[edit] National protected area
[edit] Demographics
Porter County Population by year |
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2000 146,798 |
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 146,798 people, 54,649 households, and 39,729 families residing in the county. The population density was 351 people per square mile (136/km²). There were 57,616 housing units at an average density of 138 per square mile (53/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.33% White, 0.92% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. 4.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.7% were of German, 12.3% Irish, 8.3% Polish, 8.0% English and 7.9% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 54,649 households out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.80% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $53,100, and the median income for a family was $61,880. Males had a median income of $50,167 versus $26,347 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,957. About 3.90% of families and 5.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities
[edit] Towns
- Beverly Shores
- Burns Harbor
- Chesterton
- Dune Acres
- Hebron
- Kouts
- Ogden Dunes
- Porter
- South Haven
- Town of Pines
[edit] Townships
[edit] Education
Higher Education Campuses include:
Public schools in Porter County are administered by several districts, most of which cover areas that roughly follow the county's township boundaries.
- Duneland School Corporation [3]
- East Porter County School Corporation [4]
- Metropolitan School District of Boone Township [5]
- Portage Township Schools [6]
- Porter Township School Corporation [7]
- Union Township School Corporation [8]
- Valparaiso Community Schools [9]
High Schools and Middle Schools
- Benjamin Franklin Middle School [10]
- Boone Grove High School [11]
- Boone Grove Middle School [12]
- Chesterton High School [13]
- Chesterton Middle School [14]
- Hebron High School [15]
- Hebron Middle School [16]
- Kouts Middle/High School [17]
- Morgan Middle/High School [18]
- Portage High School [19]
- Thomas Jefferson Middle School [20]
- Union Township Middle School [21]
- Valparaiso High School [22]
- Washington Township Middle/High School [23]
- Wheeler High School [24]
- William Fegely Middle School
- Willowcreek Middle School [25]
Elementary Schools
- Aylesworth Elementary School [26]
- Bailly Elementary School [27]
- Boone Grove Elementary School [28]
- Brummitt Elementary School [29]
- Central Elementary School (Portage) [30]
- Central Elementary School (Valparaiso) [31]
- Cooks Corners Elementary School [32]
- Crisman Elementary School [33]
- Flint Lake Elementary School [34]
- Hebron Elementary School [35]
- Hayes Leonard Elementary School [36]
- Jackson Elementary School [37]
- John Simatovich Elementary School [38]
- Jones Elementary School [39]
- Kouts Elementary School [40]
- Kyle Elementary School [41]
- Liberty Elementary School [42]
- Liberty Intermediate School [43]
- Memorial Elementary School [44]
- Myers Elementary School [45]
- Morgan Elementary School [46]
- Northview Elementary School [47]
- Parkview Elementary School [48]
- Paul Saylor Elementary School [49]
- Porter Lakes Elementary School [50]
- South Haven Elementary School [51]
- Thomas Jefferson Elementary School [52]
- Union Center Elementary School [53]
- Washington Township Elementary School [54]
- Westchester Intermediate School [55]
- Yost Elementary School [56]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Calumet Beginnings: Schoon, Kenneth J.
- ^ Baker, Ronald L.; Marvin Carmony (1995). Indiana Place Names. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 133. ISBN 0-253-28340-X.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Official Porter County website
- Porter County Municipal Airport (VPZ)
- Porter County Public Library System
[edit] References
- Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8.
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