46312 ZIP Code, East Chicago, IN
46312 is a ZIP code in East Chicago, Indiana in Lake County. It covers 14 square miles of land. The closest ZIP codes are 46327, 46394 and 46320. 26,022 people live here in 9,943 households. At about 1,844 people per square mile it has suburban density, and owners and renters are mixed (43% own). Median household income is $42,125, well below the Indiana median of $71,957.
Quick facts
- Mailing city: East Chicago, IN
- County: Lake County
- Land area: 14 sq mi
- Population: 26,022
- Median household income: $42,125
- Carrier routes: 16 (9,179 homes)
Key figures
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Residents | 26,022 |
| Households | 9,943 |
| Median household income | $42,125 |
| Income per person | $23,656 |
| Median age | 36.5 |
| Homeowners | 42.9% |
| Median home value | $105,400 |
| Median rent | $854 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% |
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.8 |
| Households with kids under 18 | 35.7% |
| Moved in the past year | 11.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.3% |
| Broadband internet | 78.5% |
| Speak a non-English language at home | 41.1% |
Household income
| % of households | Value |
|---|---|
| <$10K | 12.5% |
| $10–15K | 8.8% |
| $15–25K | 12.1% |
| $25–35K | 9.6% |
| $35–50K | 13.5% |
| $50–75K | 17.3% |
| $75–100K | 9.6% |
| $100–150K | 9.7% |
| $150–200K | 3.7% |
| $200K+ | 3.3% |
Age
| % of all residents | Value |
|---|---|
| <10 | 12.9% |
| 10–19 | 15.7% |
| 20–24 | 6.5% |
| 25–34 | 12.5% |
| 35–44 | 14.3% |
| 45–54 | 13.4% |
| 55–64 | 10.5% |
| 65–74 | 8.3% |
| 75+ | 5.8% |
Tenure
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Owned, with mortgage | 15.4% |
| Owned outright | 19.6% |
| Rented | 45.5% |
| Vacant | 19.4% |
Type of building
| % of housing units | Value |
|---|---|
| Detached house | 41.0% |
| Townhome | 7.5% |
| 2–4 units | 28.9% |
| 5–19 units | 16.4% |
| 20+ units | 5.8% |
| Mobile / other | 0.3% |
Businesses in 46312
404 business establishments with 11,080 employees (ZIP Codes Business Patterns 2023).
- Other Services (except Public Administration): 64
- Retail Trade: 48
- Manufacturing: 43
- Health Care and Social Assistance: 40
- Wholesale Trade: 33
- Accommodation and Food Services: 33
- Transportation and Warehousing: 32
- Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services: 32
EDDM carrier routes
46312 has 16 USPS carrier routes with 9,179 residential and 554 business mailboxes. Open the EDDM route map.
Carrier routes in 46312
46312 has 16 USPS carrier routes (16 city (C)) with 9,179 residential and 554 business mailboxes. Routes range from 222 homes (C018) to 890 homes (C053); the median route has 561 homes. The Census counted 9,943 households in 46312 (2020–2024 average); USPS counts current mailboxes, including new and vacant homes.
| Homes per route | Routes |
|---|---|
| 1–249 | 1 |
| 250–499 | 3 |
| 500–749 | 10 |
| 750–999 | 2 |
| 1,000–1,499 | 0 |
| 1,500+ | 0 |
Best routes in 46312 for…
Most businesses
For B2B offers: office supplies, cleaning, IT, catering and commercial services.
- Route C031 — USPS business mailboxes 112, 514 homes
- Route C018 — USPS business mailboxes 64, 222 homes
- Route C003 — USPS business mailboxes 60, 701 homes
- Route C022 — USPS business mailboxes 49, 874 homes
- Route C032 — USPS business mailboxes 41, 587 homes
Select these 5 routes on the route map
Every carrier route in 46312
| Route | Type | Homes | Businesses | Est. median income | Est. owners | Est. families with kids | Est. moved in past year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C003 | City | 701 | 60 | $40,284 | — | — | — |
| C004 | City | 555 | 7 | $40,284 | — | — | — |
| C007 | City | 567 | 30 | $22,652 | — | — | — |
| C008 | City | 382 | 37 | $73,461 | — | — | — |
| C010 | City | 741 | 20 | $42,621 | — | — | — |
| C014 | City | 560 | 26 | $39,679 | — | — | — |
| C018 | City | 222 | 64 | $42,504 | — | — | — |
| C019 | City | 347 | 10 | $30,635 | — | — | — |
| C022 | City | 874 | 49 | $66,133 | — | — | — |
| C024 | City | 675 | 17 | $51,645 | — | — | — |
| C027 | City | 555 | 26 | $74,223 | — | — | — |
| C029 | City | 562 | 5 | $37,478 | — | — | — |
| C031 | City | 514 | 112 | $37,478 | — | — | — |
| C032 | City | 587 | 41 | $37,478 | — | — | — |
| C051 | City | 447 | 22 | $30,635 | — | — | — |
| C053 | City | 890 | 28 | $30,635 | — | — | — |
Income, owners, families and movers are estimates for each route (how we estimate them); mailbox counts are current USPS figures. Open 46312 on the EDDM route map.
How route demographics are estimated
Mailbox counts come from USPS; demographics are estimates
The number of homes and businesses on each carrier route is the current USPS EDDM count. The Census Bureau does not publish figures for carrier routes, so income, homeownership, ages, families, movers and housing age on a route are EDDM2GO estimates built from Census block groups (neighborhood areas of roughly 600 to 3,000 people).
How a route gets its figures: the block-group length-share method
We trace each route's streets every 25 meters and record which block group each stretch falls in. The route's homes are spread along its streets in proportion to length, so a route with 60% of its street length in one block group is assumed to have 60% of its homes there. Each block group then contributes its Census counts in proportion to the share of its housing units that sit on the route (capped at the whole block group). Medians are recalculated from the combined income, home-value and age brackets, the way the Census Bureau computes them, not averaged.
Margins of error
Census survey figures carry a margin of error at 90% confidence; we carry it through the calculation and show it as ±. Our margins treat the route-to-block-group split as exact, so the real uncertainty is larger. Routes with fewer than 100 estimated households, large margins, or streets we could not place are flagged.
Different years
USPS mailbox counts are current. Census figures are 5-year averages for 2020–2024, so a new subdivision may have more homes on the route today than the Census counted. Use the route figures to compare routes with each other, not as an exact head count.
Why some routes show identical figures
Two routes that run through the same block group get the same percentages and medians, because the Census publishes one set of figures for the whole block group. Their mailbox counts still differ, and those are exact.
Route and mailbox counts: USPS EDDM route data. Route demographics: EDDM2GO estimates from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year block-group data (2020–2024) and 2024 cartographic block-group boundaries. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Nearby ZIP codes
- 46327 — Hammond city, IN (2.5 mi)
- 46394 — Hammond city, IN (3.3 mi)
- 46320 — Hammond city, IN (3.7 mi)
- 46406 — Gary city, IN (3.8 mi)
- 46323 — Hammond city, IN (4.2 mi)
- 46324 — Hammond city, IN (5.3 mi)
- 60409 — Calumet City city, IL (5.8 mi)
- 60633 — Chicago city, IL (5.8 mi)
Areas that include 46312
- East Chicago, IN ZIP codes — 1 ZIP code
- Lake County ZIP codes — 28 ZIP codes
- Indiana ZIP code data
Where it ranks
- No. 4 of 26: highest share of households with children in Lake County
- No. 8 of 26: lowest median age in Lake County
Mail every home in 46312
Route counts on this page price as Full Service 6.5 × 9 postcards: we print, bundle by carrier route and hand the mailing to USPS. Prefer to take it to the Post Office yourself? Print only costs less and you pay postage at drop-off.
EDDM guides
ZIP code statistics describe the Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 46312, which approximates the USPS ZIP code area. Census figures: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.
Frequently asked questions
- What city is 46312 in?
- 46312 is a East Chicago, IN mailing address. By land area, 100% lies inside East Chicago.
- What county is 46312 in?
- 46312 is in Lake County.
- What is the population of 46312?
- About 26,022 people (±44), according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. The 2020 Census counted 26,370.
- What is the median household income in 46312?
- $42,125 (±$2,976), compared with $71,957 for Indiana as a whole. Half the households in the ZIP code earn more and half earn less.
- How many carrier routes and mailboxes are in 46312?
- 16 USPS carrier routes with 9,179 residential and 554 business mailboxes (9,734 in all), from the route data stored by EDDM2GO. An EDDM mailing can target any combination of these routes.
- What ZIP codes are near 46312?
- The closest, measured center to center: 46327 (2.5 mi, Hammond), 46394 (3.3 mi, Hammond), 46320 (3.7 mi, Hammond), 46406 (3.8 mi, Gary), 46323 (4.2 mi, Hammond) and 46324 (5.3 mi, Hammond).
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.