Lake County, Indiana Court Filings Intelligence
Analysis of property-related court filings (foreclosure, probate, divorce, partition, guardianship) in Lake County. See methodology.
Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026.
- 37.1% off-site owners: the share of filings where the owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could be out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties (we don't distinguish; the underlying signal is "not living there").
- Max gross cap rate 8.1% at HUD Fair Market Rent ($15,804/year, 2BR FMR × 12) on the $195,628 median estimated market value. Section-8-eligible rent ceiling; real-market rent typically exceeds FMR; excludes operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, management).
- 35.3% of filings are Divorce, the dominant lead category in Lake County during the observed window.
About Lake County
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2020, its population was 498,700, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. The county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area, and contains a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas.
Source: Wikipedia
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37% of filings with a known owner mailing address involve owners whose mailing address differs from the property address.
$195,628 median estimated property value across filings with property-value data.
3.6% Indiana unemployment rate (BLS, as of 2026-08). Filings should be read against the local-economy backdrop.
Filing type breakdown
| Filing type | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | 35.3% | |
| Probate | 23.4% | |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 16.8% | |
| Guardianship | 8.6% | |
| Other | 15.9% |
Each row is a distinct case as recorded on the county docket.
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Geographic concentration by ZIP
The ZIP codes in Lake County with the most property-related court filings, in rank order: where distressed real estate activity clusters.
| Rank | ZIP | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46307 | CROWN POINT |
| 2 | 46410 | MERRILLVILLE |
| 3 | 46342 | HOBART |
| 4 | 46375 | Schererville |
| 5 | 46356 | Lowell |
| 6 | 46322 | HIGHLAND |
| 7 | 46324 | Hammond |
| 8 | 46321 | MUNSTER |
| 9 | 46323 | HAMMOND |
| 10 | 46303 | CEDAR LAKE |
Based on filings with a parseable property address.
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Property value distribution
| Estimated value | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under $75k | 10.0% | |
| $75k - $150k | 23.7% | |
| $150k - $250k | 33.2% | |
| $250k - $400k | 23.8% | |
| $400k+ | 9.3% |
Source: property records. Median $195,628; mean $224,568.
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Building characteristics
Per-property details from third-party property enrichment, aggregated across filings with characteristic data:
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Median living area | 1,404 sqft |
| Median lot size | 0.2 acres |
| Owner-occupied (at time of enrichment) | 0.0% |
Housing stock + distress signals
Underlying housing stock and distress indicators across all 216330 Lake County housing units, from US Census ACS 5-year data. National reference values shown for context.
| Indicator | Lake County | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Vacancy rate (incl. seasonal + for-sale) | 10.6% | 10.5% |
| Share of owner-occupied units carrying a mortgage | 63.7% | 60.8% |
| Pre-1940 housing stock | 14.8% | 12.3% |
| Single-family detached share of housing stock | 71.5% | 61.2% |
| Residents age 65 or older | 17.4% | 17.3% |
Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2023 5-year). National reference values are ACS 2022 5-year US totals. Why these matter: vacancy rate is the strongest single proxy for distressed inventory; mortgage-carrying share defines the risk pool exposed to rate environment; pre-1940 stock signals deferred maintenance and renovation opportunity; senior population correlates with probate pipeline depth.
Rent benchmark (HUD Fair Market Rent)
HUD sets Fair Market Rents at the metro area level, so the same FMRs apply to every county within the metro. Lake County sits within the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (FY 2026). Used to set Section 8 voucher amounts; investors use it as a defensible rent-estimate floor for buy-to-rent underwriting.
| Unit size | Fair market rent / month |
|---|---|
| Efficiency / studio | $959 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,082 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,317 |
| 3-bedroom | $1,612 |
| 4-bedroom | $1,744 |
Source: US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents (2026). 40th-percentile gross rent including utilities. Why this matters: Section-8-eligible tenants are a baseline demand floor for rental inventory at these price points; FMR is the official ceiling for voucher-eligible rents.
New construction (market momentum)
Annual building permits filed in Lake County from the US Census Building Permits Survey. Trend signal on whether new housing demand is accelerating or contracting in this market.
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total housing units permitted (2025) | 1,262 |
| Year-over-year change (2024 → 2025) | -23.5% |
| Single-family share of permits (2025) | 100.0% |
| Single-family units permitted | 1,262 |
| Multifamily units permitted (2+ units per building) | 0 |
Source: US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, annual cumulative data. Why this matters: permits trending up signals strong demand for new inventory; permits contracting at the same time foreclosure activity rises indicates broader market softening (deals price differently). Multifamily share shows whether the market is densifying or holding to single-family stock.
Macro context: state home prices and national delinquency
Lake County filings should be read against the broader housing-market backdrop. Indiana state home-price trend and the national mortgage-delinquency rate are the two macro signals most directly relevant to foreclosure exposure.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana home price index (year-over-year) | +4.6% | 2026-04-01 |
| Indiana home price index (cumulative since 2020) | +67.6% | 2026-04-01 |
| National mortgage delinquency rate (30+ day, single-family) | 1.86% | 2026-04-01 |
Sources: Federal Housing Finance Agency state house price indices (FRED series INSTHPI); Federal Reserve Board, Mortgage Delinquency 30+Day Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages (FRED series DRSFRMACBS). Updated quarterly. Free public data.
Local-market benchmark
Demographics of the ZIPs where filings cluster, weighted by filing count and benchmarked against Census ACS 2023 5-year:
| Indicator | Filing-weighted average |
|---|---|
| Median household income (where filings cluster) | $80,837 |
| Median home value | $236,394 |
| Owner-occupancy rate | 77.9% |
| Renter share of households | 22.1% |
| Median gross rent | $1,239/mo |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates, weighted by Keystone's filing volume across 10 top ZIPs.
Most active foreclosure plaintiffs in Lake County
Top mortgage holders and servicers named in foreclosure complaints filed in this county. Lender names are normalized to collapse common legal-suffix variants (e.g. "as Trustee for X Trust", "N.A.").
| Rank | Plaintiff |
|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. BANK TRUST N.A |
| 2 | WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB |
| 3 | U.S. BANK N.A |
| 4 | PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC |
| 5 | NEWREZ LLC |
| 6 | U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, N.A |
| 7 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION |
| 8 | MIDFIRST BANK |
| 9 | CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC |
| 10 | ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC |
Source: public foreclosure filings in Lake County. Court records are public information.
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FEMA flood zone exposure
Are distressed properties concentrated in flood-prone areas? By checking each property's coordinates against FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer, we identify which filings fall in Special Flood Hazard Areas (mandatory flood insurance zones). This analysis covers properties with geocoded locations.
| Zone | Share |
|---|---|
| X | 94.5% |
| X-levee | 2.4% |
| X-500yr | 1.7% |
| AE | 1.0% |
| AH | 0.2% |
| A | 0.1% |
Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), queried by property coordinates. Zones A/AE/AH/AO/V/VE are Special Flood Hazard Areas (1% annual flood chance, mandatory flood insurance). Zone X is minimal risk.
Lender concentration analysis
Foreclosure activity is spread across many lenders, suggesting diverse distress sources rather than a single institutional wave.
| Rank | Most active lenders / plaintiffs |
|---|---|
| 1 | US BANK TRUST NA |
| 2 | US BANK NA |
| 3 | NEWREZ LLC |
| 4 | ROCKET MORTGAGE LLC |
| 5 | FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION |
Lenders in rank order, most active first. Market type reflects how concentrated foreclosure filings are among plaintiffs. Based on foreclosure filings with identified plaintiffs.
ZIP code distress hotspots
Distress is geographically dispersed, with no single ZIP code dominating. The ZIP codes below are ranked by property-related court filings, most active first.
| Rank | ZIP | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46307 | Crown Point |
| 2 | 46410 | Merrillville |
| 3 | 46342 | Hobart |
| 4 | 46375 | Schererville |
| 5 | 46356 | Lowell |
| 6 | 46322 | Highland |
| 7 | 46324 | Hammond |
| 8 | 46321 | Munster |
| 9 | 46323 | Hammond |
| 10 | 46303 | Cedar Lake |
ZIP codes in rank order, most court filings first.
Non-resident owner analysis
37.1% of distressed properties have non-resident owners (the owner's mailing address differs from the property address). These are often rental or investment properties, and landlords in distress tend to be more motivated sellers.
| Case type | Non-resident % |
|---|---|
| Divorce | 42.0% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 14.1% |
| Probate | 80.3% |
| Guardianship | 71.4% |
Non-resident = owner's mailing address differs from the property address. Could indicate out-of-state landlords, inherited estates, second homes, or in-transition properties.
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Distress composition
Distress diversity score: 1.96 (Shannon entropy across case types; higher = more diverse distress sources). The case-type shares are in the filing type breakdown above.
Motivation breakdown
Among filings with a tagged motivation, the most common is Equity Division Sale (44.9%), followed by High Urgency Pre-Foreclosure (39.9%). This motivation breakdown is captured at the court-filing stage.
| Motivation / sub-type | Share |
|---|---|
| Equity Division Sale | 44.9% |
| High Urgency Pre-Foreclosure | 39.9% |
| Inherited Property | 15.2% |
Based on filings tagged with a motivation sub-type at the court-filing stage.
Property Value Profile
| Value range | Share |
|---|---|
| Under $100K | 19.1% |
| $100K - $250K | 48.7% |
| $250K - $500K | 28.2% |
| $500K - $1M | 3.6% |
| Over $1M | 0.4% |
Value breakdown by case type
| Case type | Median value | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | $210,500 | $241,127 |
| Probate | $186,035 | $212,069 |
| Pre-Foreclosure | $182,145 | $203,940 |
| Guardianship | $179,903 | $245,497 |
| Inherited Property | $176,500 | $173,833 |
Based on public property records for properties with court filings. Values are tax-assessed amounts, not market listing prices.
Investment Opportunity Score by ZIP Code
ZIP 46307 (Crown Point) ranks first on the composite opportunity score in Lake County. ZIP codes are listed in rank order, highest score first.
| Rank | ZIP Code | Area |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | 46307 | Crown Point |
| #2 | 46342 | Hobart |
| #3 | 46410 | Merrillville |
| #4 | 46323 | Hammond |
| #5 | 46311 | Dyer |
| #6 | 46356 | Lowell |
| #7 | 46324 | Hammond |
| #8 | 46375 | Schererville |
| #9 | 46321 | Munster |
| #10 | 46303 | Cedar Lake |
The score blends court-filing activity, property value, absentee-owner rate and case-type diversity. Compare ZIPs within the same county or state, not across markets.
Based on court filings by property ZIP code; ZIPs with too little data are excluded. Property values from public property records.
Property Type Distribution
89.8% of distressed properties are classified as Single Family, followed by Duplex/Multi-Family (5.7%).
| Property type | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Single Family | 89.8% | |
| Duplex/Multi-Family | 5.7% | |
| Residential | 2.4% | |
| Industrial | 0.7% | |
| Commercial | 0.7% | |
| Agricultural | 0.4% | |
| Condo/Townhouse | 0.3% |
Property type by case type
| Case type | Dominant property type | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | Single Family | 90.9% |
| Probate | Single Family | 89.3% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | Single Family | 91.1% |
| Guardianship | Single Family | 89.0% |
| Pre-Probate | Single Family | 100.0% |
| Inherited Property | Single Family | 100.0% |
Property classifications from public property records for filings with a classified property. Categories normalized from public-record property classes.
Property Age & Distress Profile
Among filings with year-built data, the Pre-1960 construction era is most common (37%). Newer properties (2000+) average $379,397, 2.5x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($148,961).
| Construction era | Share | Avg value |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1960 | 37.0% | $148,961 |
| 1960–1979 | 24.9% | $203,520 |
| 1980–1999 | 16.3% | $334,773 |
| 2000+ | 21.9% | $379,397 |
Value trend: Properties from the 2000+ era average $379,397, which is 2.55x the value of Pre-1960 stock ($148,961).
Top case types by construction era
Construction year sourced from public property records. Value is assessed value from the most recent available tax assessment.
Municipality filing concentration in Lake County
Gary has the most property-related court filings in Lake County, predominantly Divorce. Filings show moderate geographic spread across municipalities.
| Rank | Municipality | Top case type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gary | Divorce |
| 2 | Hammond | Divorce |
| 3 | Crown Point | Divorce |
| 4 | Merrillville | Divorce |
| 5 | Hobart | Divorce |
| 6 | Schererville | Divorce |
| 7 | Lowell | Divorce |
| 8 | Highland | Divorce |
| 9 | Munster | Divorce |
| 10 | Cedar Lake | Divorce |
| 11 | Dyer | Divorce |
| 12 | Griffith | Divorce |
| 13 | East Chicago | Divorce |
| 14 | Saint John | Divorce |
| 15 | Lake Station | Divorce |
Municipalities in rank order, most court filings first, among filings with a municipality on the property record. Municipality names from public property records.
Property Value Distribution
| Price range | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under $50K | 8.7% | |
| $50K–$100K | 12.5% | |
| $100K–$150K | 17.3% | |
| $150K–$200K | 17.9% | |
| $200K–$300K | 24.5% | |
| $300K–$500K | 15.0% | |
| $500K+ | 4.1% |
Value by case type
| Case type | Median value | Average value |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | $193,353 | $244,679 |
| Probate | $184,056 | $213,093 |
| Pre-Foreclosure | $178,453 | $201,260 |
| Guardianship | $186,826 | $1,147,716 |
Assessed property values from public property records for filings with a valuation. Values reflect tax-assessed amounts, not market price.
Ownership Duration Before Filing
| Ownership period | Share | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 years | 18.4% | |
| 2–5 years | 25.2% | |
| 5–10 years | 20.0% | |
| 10–20 years | 19.6% | |
| 20+ years | 16.7% |
Tenure by case type
| Case type | Median tenure | Average tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | 5.5 yr | 8.9 yr |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 6.5 yr | 10.0 yr |
| Probate | 10.8 yr | 14.9 yr |
| Guardianship | 7.4 yr | 12.6 yr |
Duration calculated from last recorded property sale to court filing date, for filings with a recorded prior sale. Longer ownership often correlates with higher equity.
Land vs improvement value composition
Across properties with assessed value breakdowns, the median land share is 17.1% (median land value $33,200, median improvement value $160,800). 1.3% of properties are land-dominant (50%+ land value), which makes them potential teardown or vacant-lot targets. Probate cases skew most land-heavy (median 17.8%) while Guardianship skews most improvement-heavy (16.7%).
Land share distribution
| Land share bracket | % of total |
|---|---|
| Under 10% | 7.6% |
| 10–20% | 62.1% |
| 20–30% | 25.0% |
| 30–50% | 4.1% |
| 50–70% | 0.9% |
| Over 70% | 0.4% |
Land share by case type
| Case type | Median land % |
|---|---|
| Divorce | 16.9% |
| Probate | 17.8% |
| Pre-Foreclosure | 17.0% |
| Guardianship | 16.7% |
Analysis of filings with assessed land and improvement value breakdowns.
Methodology and data sources
- Based on public court filings, analyzed by Keystone. As of October 2026. Court records are public information.
- These statistics describe property-related court filings in Lake County. The owner-of-record match and the entity-owner screen are applied to delivered leads, not to these aggregate statistics.
- Property value figures come from property records where available.
- Individual case data, defendant names, and property addresses are not published. Reports show aggregated statistics only.
- The methodology page at /reports/methodology documents data sources, sample sizes, and known limitations in detail.
- This report is current as of October 2026 (generated 2026-10-21).
Top cities for filings within Lake County
Where filings concentrate inside Lake County, by parsed property city or township, in rank order.
| Rank | City / Township |
|---|---|
| 1 | Gary |
| 2 | Hammond |
| 3 | Crown Point |
| 4 | Merrillville |
| 5 | Hobart |
Related Indiana guides
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Cite: Keystone Court Data, "Lake County Indiana Court Filings Intelligence," 2026-10-21, https://keystonecourtdata.com/reports/lake-in-court-filings-intelligence