Porter County, Indiana

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Porter County, Indiana
Map
Map of Indiana highlighting Porter County
Location in the state of Indiana
Map of the U.S. highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded 1836
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.

Contents

[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

[edit] Railroads

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] National protected area

[edit] Demographics

Porter County
Population by year

2000 146,798
1990 128,932
1980 119,816
1970 87,114
1960 60,279
1950 40,076
1940 27,836
1930 22,821
1920 20,256
1910 20,540
1900 19,175
1890 18,052
1880 17,227
1870 13,942
1860 10,313
1850 5,234
1840 2,162

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

[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

  1. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ Calumet Beginnings: Schoon, Kenneth J.
  3. ^ Baker, Ronald L.; Marvin Carmony (1995). Indiana Place Names. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 133. ISBN 0-253-28340-X. 
  4. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links

[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. 

Coordinates: 41°31′N 87°04′W / 41.51, -87.07