Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety17#12,904/15,637
Economy69#4,913/15,631
Housing38#9,300/14,977
Health49#7,975/15,609
Healthcare54#7,247/15,650
Environment16#12,966/15,453
Education55#7,006/15,649
Infrastructure59#6,431/15,650
Community56#6,899/15,651
Leisure & amenities44#8,714/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Dyer, Indiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Lake County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Drought exposure · low0%
98/100Indiana 19%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAALake County value
Distance to an emergency room · low3.1 mi
90/100Indiana 5.2 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesLake County value
Loneliness · low30.7%
89/100Indiana 33.4%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Natural hazard risk · low12.1
81/100Indiana 24.52025Federal Emergency Management AgencyLake County value
Median household income · high$107,159
80/100Indiana $71,958United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Lack of reliable transportation · low6.3%
80/100Indiana 8.1%United States 8.3%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate

Weaknesses

Rent as share of income · high51.0%
2/100Indiana 29.1%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071At least this value: the publisher's top bracket is open-ended
Preventable hospital stays · high4,344 /100k
6/100Indiana 3,202 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLake County value
Days with unhealthy air · high4.1%
9/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyLake County value
Median Air Quality Index · high53
10/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyLake County value
Homicide rate · high8.4 /100k
12/100Indiana 5.6 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataLake County value
Child care cost burden · high37.8%
14/100Indiana 30.8%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLake County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent as share of incomeWorsening
32.9% (2015-2019) → 51.0% (2020-2024)
+18 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
59.2% (2015-2019) → 74.9% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
New homes permittedImproving
1.6 /1k (2021) → 2.7 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+73%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Child poverty rateWorsening
3.7% (2015-2019) → 10.9% (2020-2024)
+7.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
31.4% (2015-2019) → 38.5% (2020-2024)
+7.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Median household incomeImproving
$84,202 (2015-2019) → $107,159 (2020-2024)
+27%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Dyer, Indiana improved on 2 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 9 moved within the margin of error and 1 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Bachelor's++7.1 points31.4% → 38.5%
Household income+27%$84,202 → $107,159

Declined1

Rent / income+18 points32.9% → 51.0%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Dyer, Indiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	29.9 min2015-2019	29.4 min2020-2024	−0.4 min	Within the margin of error	53%
Bachelor's degree or higher	31.4%2015-2019	38.5%2020-2024	+7.1 points	Improved	80%
Broadband subscriptions	91.1%2015-2019	91.3%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Effective property tax rate	1.15%2015-2019	0.99%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	49%
High school diploma or higher	95.0%2015-2019	95.2%2020-2024	+0.2 points	Within the margin of error	35%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	3.0×2020-2024	+0.5×	Within the margin of error	49%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4052015-2019	0.4442020-2024	+0.039	Within the margin of error	21%
Median household income	$84,2022015-2019	$107,1592020-2024	+27%	Improved	49%
Poverty rate	3.1%2015-2019	6.2%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Within the margin of error	20%
Rent as share of income	32.9%2015-2019	51.0%2020-2024	+18 points	Declined	3%
Rent-burdened households	59.2%2015-2019	74.9%2020-2024	+16 points	Within the margin of error	13%
Unemployment rate	5.0%2015-2019	3.8%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	3.7%2015-2019	4.7%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	35%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Dyer, Indiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Dyer, Indiana in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Dyer, Indiana itself moved −9.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

16,400 residents (±41)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (−2.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

16,400 residents (±41)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

White79%12,898
Black2.4%†391
Hispanic or Latino13%2,075
Asian3.1%†508
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races3.2%†528

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Hispanic or Latino (+3.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

12,196 residents (±376)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

No high school diploma4.8%582
High school or GED25%3,080
Some college24%2,958
Associate degree7.2%878
Bachelor's degree23%2,809
Graduate degree15%1,889

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: High school or GED (−6.6 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

6,416 households (±207)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $25k12%†754
$25k–50k12%785
$50k–75k12%792
$75k–100k12%755
$100k–150k24%1,529
$150k–200k15%957
$200k or more13%844

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−6.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

6,416 households (±207)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Own88%5,625
Rent12%†791

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

782 households (±351)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $7501.0%†8
$750–1,00011%†89
$1,000–1,50053%†414

Home values

5,625 homes (±341)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $150k5.5%†312
$150k–250k21%1,186
$250k–400k45%2,542

Age of homes

6,551 homes (±238)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

2010 or later8.3%†544
2000–200924%1,556
1980–199934%2,214

Size of homes

6,551 homes (±238)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Studio2.7%†180
1 bedroom2.4%†155
2 bedrooms17%1,086

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

7,939 workers (±493)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Drive alone84%6,673
Carpool3.0%†240
Public transit1.1%†87
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home12%939
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+7.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

7,000 workers (±531)

Dyer, Indiana
Indiana share

Under 15 min24%1,651
15–29 min32%2,248
30–44 min19%1,333

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Lake County, the county holding most of Dyer's residents.

Lake County has 10,566 employer establishments, 211 for every 10,000 residents (0.85× the US rate of 248; 0.93× Indiana's), with 171,790 paid employees at an average annual pay of $57,154. The Census Bureau also counts 35,311 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 10,566; 35,311 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 211; US 248 · Indiana 226
Paid employees: 171,790
Average annual pay: $57,154; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Lake County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,071	21.4	1.03×About typical	16,364	$68,052	1,790
Restaurants and other eating places	923	18.5	1.00×About typical	18,320	$19,472	230
Specialty trade contractors	638	12.8	0.82×About typical	7,976	$85,404	1,727
Limited-service restaurants	484	9.7	1.21×About typical	9,201	$17,803	108
Truck transportation	415	8.3	1.64×More than typical	3,848	$60,862	1,634
Offices of physicians	386	7.7	1.19×About typical	7,322	$92,828	237
Automotive repair and maintenance	362	7.2	1.44×More than typical	2,094	$46,582	454
Lessors of real estate	362	7.2	0.59×Fewer than typical	1,254	$43,400	3,618
Full-service restaurants	320	6.4	0.83×About typical	7,460	$21,876	72
Construction of buildings	287	5.7	0.76×Fewer than typical	2,119	$83,719	949
Religious organizations	277	5.5	1.00×About typical	2,336	$28,570	—
Legal services	263	5.3	0.98×About typical	1,129	$74,329	275

Rank places for an industry Open Lake County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 500,134 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Dyer, Indiana: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

27KFY2017
-15.9KFY2018
191.4KFY2022
185KFY2023
-98.9KFY2024
15.6KFY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Dyer, Indiana, so they do not add up across cities.

Dyer, Indiana's figures are part of those of Lake County, IN ($85.5M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Dyer is mostly in Lake County.

See federal money in Lake County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Dyer, Indiana is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Frank J. MrvanD-IN-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 92%Missed 2.8%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Lake County39100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN66

Other cities and towns in Lake County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1819270