Lake Station, Indiana

Lake Station is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,235 at the 2020 census.

History

Initially, the site of modern Lake Station was the starting point of two indigenous trails leading to Fort Dearborn. Later it became an early stagecoach depot stop, as the Fort Dearborn-Detroit Stagecoach Route passed through the site during the wet season.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Lake Station has a total area of , of which (or 98.45%) is land and (or 1.55%) is water.

The city lies on the Calumet Shoreline, which is seen today as a sand ridge.

Major highways

Interstate 65
Interstate 80
Interstate 90
Interstate 94
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 20
Indiana State Road 51

Lakes and rivers

Grand Boulevard Lake
Deep River (Indiana)

Surrounding cities

Hobart
Gary
Portage
Town of New Chicago

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Lake Station city, Indiana – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|10,695

|8,385

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,613

|76.68%

|66.70%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |57.52%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|82

|373

|style='background: #ffffe6; |647

|0.59%

|2.97%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.89%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|52

|40

|style='background: #ffffe6; |26

|0.37%

|0.32%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.20%

|Asian alone (NH)

|38

|35

|style='background: #ffffe6; |35

|0.27%

|0.28%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1

|0.01%

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%

|Other race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |62

|0.01%

|0.06%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.47%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|203

|215

|style='background: #ffffe6; |655

|1.46%

|1.71%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.95%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|2,875

|3,517

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,196

|20.61%

|27.97%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |31.70%

|Total

|13,948

|12,572

|style='background: #ffffe6; |13,235

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Lake Station had a population of 13,235. The median age was 36.7 years. 25.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males age 18 and over.

There were 4,892 households in Lake Station, of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.2% were married-couple households, 23.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 12,572 people, 4,577 households, and 3,067 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,137 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 79.7% White, 3.6% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 11.7% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.0% of the population.

There were 4,577 households, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.0% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.28.

The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census

Arts and culture

Lake Station also plays host to some events such as the Fuzz Follies, which is a car show that takes place in Riverview Park every year since 1984. Since 2004 The Heritage Days Festival has also taken place in Riverview Park. Both events are usually in June. The city's newest event held for the first time in September 2009 is Septemberfest, which is held around Labor Day weekend.

Lake County Public Library operates the Lake Station - New Chicago Branch, which also serves New Chicago.

Parks and recreation

Four Winds Park
Columbus Park
Riverview Park
Miller Park
Mock Park
Deep River Outdoor Recreation Center
Johnson Park
Bicentennial Park
Warrick Park
Riley Park

Government

The mayor of Lake Station since January 1, 2020, is Bill Carroll.

Education

Lake Station Community Schools serves most of Lake Station. Some portions are served by River Forest Community School Corporation.

The Lake Station Community Schools district consists of two elementary schools, Virgil I. Bailey and Alexander Hamilton, and one combined junior and senior high school Thomas A. Edison Junior-Senior High School.

The River Forest Community School Corporation serves the West End of Lake Station (approximately one-third of the city). River Forest High School, River Forest Junior High School, John I. Meister Elementary School, and Henry S. Evans Elementary School are all within the city limits of Lake Station (as the result of the city's 1972 annexation of previously unincorporated parts of Hobart Township).