Town guide

New Chicago, Indiana

New Chicago is a town in Lake County, Indiana, home to about 2,225 people across 0.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 46342.

Homes sold for a median of $164 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population2,2253,272 per sq mi
Median home value$134,100Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$164Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking20%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in New Chicago

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside New Chicago. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up New Chicago’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around New Chicago

Distances

Nearest major airportChicago Midway International Airport (MDW)31 miles away
Closer regional airportGary/Chicago International Airport (GYY)10 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Chicago, IL31 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of New Chicago; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents New Chicago

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

New Chicago had 1,999 residents in the 2020 census, down 3% since 2000.

It’s the 210th largest of 693 towns in Indiana by population.

Lake County grew from 37,892 residents in 1900 to 498,700 in 2020.

New Chicago population by census2000: 2,063, 2010: 2,035, 2020: 1,9992,06320002,03520101,9992020

Lake County, 1900–2020

Lake County population, 1900 to 20201900: 37,892, 1910: 82,864, 1920: 159,957, 1930: 261,310, 1940: 293,195, 1950: 368,152, 1960: 513,269, 1970: 546,253, 1980: 522,965, 1990: 475,594, 2000: 484,564, 2010: 496,005, 2020: 498,70038K’00’10160K’20’30293K’40’50513K’60’70523K’80’90485K’00’10499K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 18°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 40 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near New ChicagoJan: high 32°F, low 18°F, 2.2 in; Feb: high 36°F, low 21°F, 2 in; Mar: high 46°F, low 30°F, 2.3 in; Apr: high 57°F, low 40°F, 3.6 in; May: high 68°F, low 50°F, 4.3 in; Jun: high 78°F, low 60°F, 4.3 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 64°F, 4 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 63°F, 4.1 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 56°F, 3.7 in; Oct: high 62°F, low 45°F, 3.8 in; Nov: high 49°F, low 34°F, 2.8 in; Dec: high 37°F, low 24°F, 2.3 in32°18°Jan2.236°21°Feb2.046°30°Mar2.357°40°Apr3.668°50°May4.378°60°Jun4.382°64°Jul4.080°63°Aug4.174°56°Sep3.762°45°Oct3.849°34°Nov2.837°24°Dec2.3Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Indiana Dunes Nl, IN weather station (11 miles away).

Jobs in Lake County

171,790 jobs at 10,566 businesses in Lake County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Lake CountyHealth care and social assistance: 35,933 jobs; Retail trade: 24,256 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 23,005 jobs; Manufacturing: 22,053 jobs; Construction: 10,851 jobs; Other services: 9,952 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 8,894 jobs; Administrative and support: 7,187 jobsHealth care and social assistance 21% Retail trade 14% Hotels and restaurants 13% Manufacturing 13% Construction 6% Other services 6% Transportation and warehousing 5% Administrative and support 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

203 doctors and other health care providers list an office in New Chicago.

Nearest hospitals

  • St. Mary Medical Center INCGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · HobartUnder a mile
  • Methodist Hospitals INCGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 1 of 5 · Gary7.4 miles
  • Pinnacle HospitalGeneral hospital · no emergency room · Crown Point8.9 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors19
Specialist doctors70
Dentists11
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants54
Mental health providers25
Physical and occupational therapists19
Optometrists1
Chiropractors4
Pharmacies5

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around New Chicago

Parks (7 nearby)

  • Festival Park · 16 acres0.6 mi
  • Lakeview Park · 16 acres0.7 mi
  • Hobart City Ball Park · 7 acres0.1 mi
  • Pennsy Park0.6 mi
  • Lakeview Park0.7 mi
  • Hobart Skate Park0.9 mi

Grocery stores

  • Strack & Van Til1.9 mi
  • Aldi3.5 mi
  • Walmart Supercenter4.1 mi
  • Meijer4.1 mi

Pharmacies

  • CVS Pharmacy1.8 mi
  • Walgreens3.9 mi
  • CVS Pharmacy4.3 mi
  • Walgreens4.4 mi

Libraries (2 nearby)

  • Hobart Carnegie Library0.4 mi
  • Hobart Branch Library0.5 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Glen Theater4.7 mi

Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in New Chicago

Public schools here are run by School City of Hobart, River Forest Community Sch Corp. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (9)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Early Learning Center-George EarleHobartPre-K–K264Public1.8 mi
John I Meister Elementary SchoolHobartK–5373Public2.2 mi
Joan Martin Elementary SchoolHobart1–5497Public0.4 mi
Liberty Elementary SchoolHobart1–5398Public1.0 mi
Veterans Elementary School at MundellHobart1–5594Public1.2 mi
Hobart Middle SchoolHobart6–8905Public0.3 mi
River Forest Middle SchoolHobart6–8369Public2.6 mi
Hobart High SchoolHobart9–121,320Public1.2 mi
River Forest High SchoolHobart9–12565Public2.6 mi
Private schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
Montessori Academy in the OaksHobartPre-K–322Nonsectarian3.1 mi
Trinity Lutheran SchoolHobartPre-K–854Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod0.2 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where New Chicago is

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Towns near New Chicago

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Shares ZIP codes with Hobart, Merrillville and Wheeler.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.