A Northwest Indiana suburb on the shores of Lake George
Hobart is a Lake County, Indiana, city just southeast of neighboring Gary and about 20 miles from Chicago’s South Side. Though it’s primarily a residential suburb today, reminders of Hobart’s more industrial past play a big role in everyday life. At the heart of downtown, 270-acre Lake George was formed when town founder George Earle dammed the Deep River to power mills in the 1850s. Hobart High School’s nickname, the Brickies, is an homage to the town’s history as a leading Midwestern brick manufacturer from the 1860s-1960s.
Today, Hobart produces a much softer material: gummy bears. Albanese Candy, one of the country’s leading gummy makers, is located on the city’s southern boundary with neighboring Merrillville.
Lake George was formed in Hobart when the Deep River was dammed to power mills in the 1850s.
Albanese Candy is one of the country’s leading gummy makers.
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Homes hold multi-generational appeal
Many Hobart residents have deep roots here, and it’s pretty easy to tell who they are. “Everyone who is from here calls it ‘Hobert,’” says Wendy Howatt, a third-generation Hobart resident. “If someone calls it ‘Hobart,’ we know they’re not from around here.” Howatt says an increasing number of newcomers who want a lower cost of living than Illinois without having to leave Chicagoland are moving in and learning the “proper” pronunciation.
Hobart’s median home price is around $230,000, which is slightly below nearby Merrillville and Griffith and approximately $100,000 less than county seat Crown Point. Mid-century bungalows and ranch-style homes can begin around $125,000 and sell for up to $350,000, and New Traditional houses in recently developed subdivisions can range between $370,000 and $450,000.
Ranch-style homes are common throughout Hobart.
New Traditional homes range between $370,000 and $450,000 in Hobart.
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School City of Hobart one of three districts
Most students attend School City of Hobart, which earns a B-plus rating as a district. The district has three elementary and one middle school. About 1,300 students attend Hobart High. The Brickies won four state football championships between 1987 and 1993, and the program remains a local powerhouse. “Hobart’s always been about sports,” Howatt says. “If you watched ‘Friday Night Lights,’ that’s kind of the vibe you get at a Hobart football game on Friday night.”
Students who live south of 61st Avenue attend Merrillville Community School Corporation, which receives a B-minus rating. Those who live north of 37th Avenue are attend River Forest School Corporation, which receives a C-rating.
Joan Martin Elementary School has 501 students in grades 1 through 5.
Hobart Middle School has 917 students with an overall B grade according to Niche.
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Interstate access to Chicago, and golf cart-friendly neighborhoods
Interstate 65, which runs parallel to Hobart’s western boundary, connects with Interstate 94 and Interstate 90 just north of Hobart, providing two routes to Chicago. Chicago Midway Airport is 40 miles away. Three Gary Public Transportation Corp bus routes go through Hobart.
Perhaps surprisingly, golf carts are a common sight in this city that averages more than 30 inches of snowfall annually. During warmer months, many residents travel to downtown Hobart from residential neighborhoods via golf cart. “That’s a big thing in the summertime,” Howatt says.
St. Mary Medical Center is a not-for-profit hospital just south of downtown Hobart.
Where a major mall and a bustling downtown can co-exist
At the junction of I-65 and U.S. Route 30, Southlake Mall is one of the largest enclosed super-regional malls in Indiana, with nearly 150 stores. U.S. 30 is a major retail corridor that spills over into Merrillville.
Downtown Hobart is a slice of Americana. Banners celebrating Brickies student-athletes from all sports hang from the light poles. Many restaurants and shops are located in 19th-century or early 20th-century brick buildings. Several popular restaurants feature lakefront locations, including Tavern on the Lake, Sip Coffee, Montego Bay Grille and The Caribbean on Lake George.
Art Theater, an art-deco-designed building that first opened in 1940, is frequently voted as Northwest Indiana’s best performing arts venue.
Tavern on the Lake is a casual restaurant offering comfort food and quick bites.
Art Theater is frequently voted as Northwest Indiana’s best performing arts venue in Hobart.
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Parks reflect area's unique ecosystems
Hobart is about 6 miles south of Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park. The national park was upgraded from a national lakeshore in 2019, and the state park is the most visited in Indiana, with more than 1 million annual visitors. The unique sand dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan are the signature attraction in Northwest Indiana, also known to locals as “The Region.”
Hobart has a thriving parks system. Multiple city parks line the shores of Lake George, which is a popular destination for anglers, canoeists and kayakers in warmer months.
Hobart Prairie Grove, Greiner Nature Preserve and Burr Oak Savanna Nature Preserve are home to some of the most unique natural landscapes in the state, with an ecosystem more common to the southeastern United States than the Midwest.
Indiana Dunes National Park was upgraded from a national lakeshore in 2019.
Greiner Preserve has many ecosystems including open sandy dune, oak savanna, and prairie.
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Festival Park a hub for city events
The aptly named Festival Park hosts many of the city’s biggest events on the Lake George shoreline. Summer unofficially kicks off with the four-day Lakefront Festival, which is highlighted by the annual Dam Duck Tape and Cardboard Boat Race. Hobart’s Independence Day celebration and Christmas Tree Lighting also takes place at Festival Park. The park also hosts a summer market on Thursdays between June and August.
The Lakefront Festival is a four-day event that kicks off summer every year in Hobart.
The Christmas Tree Lighting in Hobart occurs every November at Festival Park.
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Freight trains create a sound and traffic factor
Freight trains are a frequent sight and sound in Hobart. Howatt, an administrative assistant at Hobart High, notes that it isn’t unusual for students to arrive late for school in the morning because a freight train has stopped along the tracks.
Hobart’s violent crime rate was comparable to the national average in 2023, and the property crime rate was slightly higher than the national average. Both figures decreased compared to the prior year.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
