Thayer, Indiana (1908), 1908
Thayer’s story
145 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
- 1881Thayer is settled
ThayerIN
Home to 212 people, the town was settled in 1881.
Photo: Steve Shook · CC BY 2.0
Population
212
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$65K
median
Median age
49.9
years
Jobs based here
3
A commuter town
Is Thayer a good place to live?
31% of residents live below the poverty line in Thayer, above both the Indiana town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Thayer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
212 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Thayer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Thayer, and how to reach them.
PowerNIPSCO22.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRiver Bend Manor Mobile Home Park2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers82% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Register to voteOnlineIn Indiana you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNewton County Circuit Court ClerkNewton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code4638146381 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Thayer.
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Indiana overall
Four-year graduates account for 21% of adults 25 and older here, against 30% across Indiana.
49.9median age · IN overall 38.1
ThayerIndianaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
40%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school62%
Some college17%
Associate’s0%
Bachelor’s0%
Graduate21%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 46% and 97% women
The Census survey reached too few of Thayer’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±25.5 points. Across Indiana, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Thayer | IN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.2% | 12.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.2% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 21.2% | 9.6% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 0% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 39.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 21.7% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 0% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 0% | 6.7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 9.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 62.3% | 32.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.9% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 0% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 0% | 18.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 20.8% | 10.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commute
Thayer has 0.0 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Half commute less than 24 miles. The top destinations are Lowell (5%), Crown Point (4%) and Merrillville (4%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Thayer0%
Lowell5%
Crown Point4%
Merrillville4%
Gary4%
24 mi
median commute distance
3
jobs based in Thayer
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Thayer
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 17°, and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall42–64°
Oct 16
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Low risk in Thayer, with inland flooding at the top
Expected losses in Thayer break down as 41% from inland flooding and 33% from cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Thayer
13pages on Thayer
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Thayer; the nearest are
Valparaiso UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Valparaiso24.9 mi$48,450 tuitionIndiana University-NorthwestUniversity or college · Public · Gary26.5 mi$8,424 in-state tuitionKankakee Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kankakee, IL27.6 mi$5,220 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Thayer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Indiana.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Thayer for work
Where Thayer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3jobs based in Thayer
0%of working residents work in town
24 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Thayer
Unincorporated community and Census-designated place in Indiana, United States
Thayer is an unincorporated community in Lincoln Township, Newton County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 643 ft
- ZIP code
- 46381
Questions about Thayer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Thayer, IN a good place to live?
Thayer has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.