This data is based on ZIP codes 46342, 46405, which covers New Chicago and Gary and Hobart and Lake Station and Merrillville and Portage.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined ZIP codes 46342, 46405 area shared across these towns.
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New Chicago ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages -13% vs. avg. Lake Co. town
New Chicago's ZIP area supports 8,814 jobs across 674 businesses, with workers earning an average of $48K per year, 13% below the Lake County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.92 index), led by retail trade and other services. 87.4% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 13.1 people. Jobs grew 1% from the prior year while business count grew 0%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. Lake Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
674 businesses by employee count. 87.4% are small businesses (under 20 employees).
Small (10-19)
Micro (<5)
Small (5-9)
Medium (20-49)
Medium (50-99)
Large (100-249)
Economic Densityi
2.00+
jobs per resident
Capped: ZIP includes employers outside city limits
13.1
employees per business
County avg: 15.3-14%
$188K
payroll per resident
$622K
payroll per business
New Chicago ZIP Area vs. Avg. Lake Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | New Chicago ZIP | Avg. Lake Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 108 | 191 | 1.1x |
| Other Services | 90 | 148 | 1.2x |
| Food & Accommodation | 74 | 138 | 1.1x |
| Healthcare | 63 | 181 | 0.7x |
| Construction | 58 | 132 | 0.9x |
| Professional Services | 45 | 134 | 0.7x |
| Transportation | 36 | 58 | 1.2x |
| Admin Services | 34 | 63 | 1.1x |
| Finance & Insurance | 32 | 86 | 0.7x |
| Wholesale Trade | 31 | 58 | 1.1x |
| Real Estate | 27 | 64 | 0.8x |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 44 | 0.9x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 10 | 19 | 1.1x |
| Information | 5 | 15 | 0.7x |