Porter, Indiana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Porter, Indiana
settlement_type = Town
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Porter in the state of Indiana


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Indiana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Porter
subdivision_type3 = Township
subdivision_name3 = Westchester
government_footnotes =
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area_footnotes =
unit_pref = Imperial
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 17.1
area_land_km2 = 16.3
area_water_km2 = 0.8
area_total_sq_mi = 6.6
area_land_sq_mi = 6.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 4972
population_density_km2 = 304.5
population_density_sq_mi = 788.8

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 195
elevation_ft = 640
latd = 41 |latm = 37 |lats = 34 |latNS = N
longd = 87 |longm = 4 |longs = 18 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 46304
area_code = 219
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 18-61164GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0441459GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Porter is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,972 at the 2000 census.

Porter is noted for its proximity to the Indiana Dunes State Park and for its railroad heritage. Porter was the southern terminus for the Chicago and West Michigan Railway.

Geography

Porter is located at coor dms|41|37|34|N|87|4|18|W|city (41.626005, -87.071798)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²), of which, 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (4.54%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,972 people, 1,844 households, and 1,300 families residing in the town. The population density was 788.8 people per square mile (304.7/km²). There were 1,966 housing units at an average density of 311.9/sq mi (120.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.14% White, 0.82% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.69% of the population.

There were 1,844 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% 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 3.12.

In the town the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,625, and the median income for a family was $60,254. Males had a median income of $50,799 versus $26,055 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,615. About 4.9% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

Historic Sites

The Joseph Bailly Homestead is located in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Howe Road, just north of U.S. 20. It is the residence of three generations of the Bailly family. Joseph and Marie Bailly arrived here in 1822 from the St. Joseph River in Michigan. He had been a fur trader on Lake Michigan for nearly 30 years when he set up his family home along the Little Calumet River. [Cultural Sites of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, National Park Service, 2006]

The Chellberg Farm is also a three generation home, but of the family of Anders Kjellburg (Chellberg). He brought his family to this Swedish community in 1869, purchaisng 80 acres from the Bailly descendents. [Cultural Sites of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, National Park Service, 2006] The farm is located on Mineral Springs Road, north of U.S. 20.

References

External links