Valparaiso, Indiana Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Valparaiso, IN Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,924 | 6,845,048 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1857.1 | 188.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.57% | 0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.8 | 35.9 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,142 | 2,713,821 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Valparaiso grew by 10.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 31,924 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Valparaiso is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 26.4% of residents. That is 4.2 points above Indiana as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,426 26.4% +4.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 6,502 20.4% -0.8 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,866 18.4% -1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,156 16.2% -0.6 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Indiana, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.9% of the people living in Valparaiso and men 48.1%.
- Women 51.9% Indiana 50.4%
- Men 48.1% Indiana 49.6%
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Economy
Valparaiso has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,085 | $71,967 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.07% | 4.54% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Valparaiso is about 4% lower than in Indiana.
Housing
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $529,972 | $142,738 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,187 | $1,062 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 70.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Valparaiso is about 37.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,187 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Valparaiso spend about 40 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 168 hours, about 7.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.1 | 21.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.3 | 42.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 168 | 176 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,201 | $5,455 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 10.7% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,943 | 8,333 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,362 | 1,308 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Valparaiso is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Indiana.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Valparaiso has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 26.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.24 | 2.45 | 2.53 |
Health
Valparaiso has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Valparaiso | Indiana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 77.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.5% | 17.1% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.6% | 22.4% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Valparaiso, Indiana.
What is the population of Valparaiso, Indiana?
About 31,924 people live in Valparaiso, Indiana, in 13,142 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 38.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Valparaiso, Indiana mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Valparaiso, Indiana has 1,857 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 21 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Valparaiso, Indiana an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 7.7 times the median household income ($529,972 against $69,085), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,187 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Valparaiso, Indiana?
Unemployment in Valparaiso, Indiana is only 3.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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