Whiting, Indiana


Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago's South Side. Whiting is home to Whiting Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the Midwest. The population was 4,559 at the 2020 census.
WWW whitingindiana.com

History

A post office was first established at Whiting in 1871. Whiting was incorporated as a town in 1895. It was named after a trainman who was killed in a crash there. Whiting was incorporated as a city in 1903.
The Hoosier Theater Building, Henry and Caroline Schrage House, and Whiting Memorial Community House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, all land.
The Whiting post office serves not only the city of Whiting, but also the adjacent Hammond neighborhood of Robertsdale, immediately to the west. Addresses in this Hammond neighborhood show “Whiting, Indiana.” While not legally a part of the city of Whiting, locally the area has long been informally considered to be a culturally integrated part of Whiting. References to Whiting businesses or residents often include those technically from Hammond's Robertsdale.

Demographics

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 3,7152,7332,02772.32%54.69%44.46%
Black or African American alone 251411440.49%2.82%3.16%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 7900.14%0.18%0.00%
Asian alone 3229230.62%0.58%0.50%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone 0020.00%0.00%0.04%
Other race alone 12130.02%0.04%0.29%
Mixed race or Multiracial 44471120.86%0.94%2.46%
Hispanic or Latino 1,3132,0362,23825.56%40.74%49.09%
Total5,1374,9974,559100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,559 people, 1,859 households, 1,106 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 2,094 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 59.6% White, 3.5% African American, 1.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 17.1% from some other races and 17.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49.1% of the population.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,997 people, 1,899 households, and 1,210 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 2,197 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 76.3% White, 3.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 15.7% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.7% of the population.
There were 1,899 households, of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.32.
The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 26.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.3% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

Parks

Whiting is home to five parks. Whiting Park, located on the Lake Michigan shoreline, is the most well known. It is a popular picnic spot for residents of Lake County, the South Side of Chicago, and Southland. Whihala Beach is located next to Whiting Park between Whiting and neighboring Hammond.

Education

School City of Whiting serves all of Whiting. Whiting High School is the sole public high school serving Whiting.
The city is also home to a historic Carnegie Library, built in 1905. Whiting Public Library is located at 1735 Oliver Street.
Calumet College of St. Joseph is a private college affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church through the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Its main campus is in Whiting, Indiana, with additional campuses located in Chicago, Illinois, and Merrillville, Indiana. The college was founded in 1951 as an extension of the now defunct Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana and currently enrolls 1,262 students.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Amtrak's Wolverine stops at Hammond-Whiting station in nearby Hammond.
Airports serving Whiting are Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Midway International Airport, and Gary/Chicago International Airport located in Gary, Indiana.

Notable people