Merrillville, Indiana

Compare nearby destinations by category and review the top reachable incorporated communities.

Overview

Located in the Indiana community of Merrillville, Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus is a critical healthcare facility that serves a significant population base. The communities reachable within a 30-minute drive demonstrate the geographic and demographic scope of this location's influence. By examining these nearby incorporated places, we can better understand the role Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus plays in the region.

Population catchment

The 30-minute driving radius around Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus encompasses a combined population of approximately 542,920 residents across 20 incorporated communities. Hammond leads as the most populous nearby community with 77,879 residents, representing roughly 14% of the total catchment population. Rounding out the top three are Gary with 69,093 residents and Portage with 37,926, providing further evidence of the population concentration near Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus. Together, the top three communities account for a substantial share of the overall population base, underscoring the concentrated nature of the area's demographics.

Regional dependence

The relationship between the smaller towns and the larger communities near Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus reflects a pattern of regional dependence typical in Indiana. Of the 20 nearby communities, 11 have populations below 25,000, indicating that these residents likely rely on Hammond and similar centers for goods and services. This dynamic reinforces the importance of Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus as a regional destination.

Geographic interpretation

From a geographic perspective, the area surrounding Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus can be characterized as suburban. A mix of mid-sized communities characterizes the area, with some places exceeding 50,000 residents while others maintain smaller-town populations. The presence of Hammond as the dominant population center creates a moderately concentrated pattern, with progressively smaller communities extending outward. The median community population in this catchment is 23,939, indicating that most communities are considerably smaller than the dominant center. Understanding this settlement structure helps contextualize the role of Methodist Hospitals - Southlake Campus within the broader regional framework.

Identifiers: city · town · CDP

RankCommunityPopulation
1 Hammond (city), IN77,879
2 Gary (city), IN69,093
3 Portage (city), IN37,926
4 Merrillville (town), IN36,444
5 Valparaiso (city), IN34,151
6 Crown Point (city), IN33,899
7 Hobart (city), IN29,752
8 Schererville (town), IN29,646
9 East Chicago (city), IN26,370
10 Highland (town), IN23,984
11 Munster (town), IN23,894
12 St. John (town), IN20,303
13 Griffith (town), IN16,528
14 Dyer (town), IN16,517
15 Chesterton (town), IN14,241
16 Cedar Lake (town), IN14,106
17 Lake Station (city), IN13,235
18 Lowell (town), IN10,680
19 Winfield (town), IN7,181
20 Lakes of the Four Seasons (CDP), IN7,091

Overview

Located in the Indiana community of Merrillville, Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center is a critical healthcare facility that serves a significant population base. The communities reachable within a 30-minute drive demonstrate the geographic and demographic scope of this location's influence. By examining these nearby incorporated places, we can better understand the role Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center plays in the region.

Population catchment

The 30-minute driving radius around Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center encompasses a combined population of approximately 542,920 residents across 20 incorporated communities. Hammond leads as the most populous nearby community with 77,879 residents, representing roughly 14% of the total catchment population. Rounding out the top three are Gary with 69,093 residents and Portage with 37,926, providing further evidence of the population concentration near Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center. Together, the top three communities account for a substantial share of the overall population base, underscoring the concentrated nature of the area's demographics.

Regional dependence

The relationship between the smaller towns and the larger communities near Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center reflects a pattern of regional dependence typical in Indiana. Of the 20 nearby communities, 11 have populations below 25,000, indicating that these residents likely rely on Hammond and similar centers for goods and services. This dynamic reinforces the importance of Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center as a regional destination.

Geographic interpretation

From a geographic perspective, the area surrounding Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center can be characterized as suburban. The region blends suburban and semi-rural characteristics, with 2 communities above 50,000 residents alongside a collection of smaller incorporated places. The presence of Hammond as the dominant population center creates a moderately concentrated pattern, with progressively smaller communities extending outward. The median community population in this catchment is 23,939, indicating that most communities are considerably smaller than the dominant center. Understanding this settlement structure helps contextualize the role of Regional Mental Health Center - Strawhun Center within the broader regional framework.

Identifiers: city · town · CDP

RankCommunityPopulation
1 Hammond (city), IN77,879
2 Gary (city), IN69,093
3 Portage (city), IN37,926
4 Merrillville (town), IN36,444
5 Valparaiso (city), IN34,151
6 Crown Point (city), IN33,899
7 Hobart (city), IN29,752
8 Schererville (town), IN29,646
9 East Chicago (city), IN26,370
10 Highland (town), IN23,984
11 Munster (town), IN23,894
12 St. John (town), IN20,303
13 Griffith (town), IN16,528
14 Dyer (town), IN16,517
15 Chesterton (town), IN14,241
16 Cedar Lake (town), IN14,106
17 Lake Station (city), IN13,235
18 Lowell (town), IN10,680
19 Winfield (town), IN7,181
20 Lakes of the Four Seasons (CDP), IN7,091