Blackford County, Indiana
Named for Isaac Blackford, speaker of the first Indiana General Assembly and a State Supreme Court judge
County Seat: Hartford City
Largest City: Hartford City (2024 population: 5,927)
Population per Square Mile: 71.57
Square Miles: 165.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 12,112 | 85 | 0.2% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2024) | 11,816 | 85 | 0.2% | 6,924,275 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 11,403 | 85 | 0.2% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | -2.4% | 91 | | 2.0% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2023-2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -4 | 66 | | 4,268 |
| Net International Migration | 6 | 76 | | 30,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -60 | 60 | -0.7% | 9,159 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 583 | 84 | 4.9% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,004 | 84 | 17.0% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 864 | 85 | 7.3% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,701 | 85 | 22.9% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,976 | 86 | 25.2% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 2,688 | 84 | 22.7% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 43.2 | | | Median Age = 38.3 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2024 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 49 | 86 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 74 | 80 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 127 | 82 | 1.1% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 6 | 73 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 11,299 | 85 | 95.6% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 261 | 77 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 11,495 | 85 | 97.3% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 321 | 81 | 2.7% | 9.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2023 (Includes detail not shown below) | 5,060 | 83 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 727 | 85 | 14.4% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 1,628 | 85 | 32.2% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 384 | 84 | 7.6% | 8.9% |
| Living Alone | 1,844 | 77 | 36.4% | 29.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (estimate) | 5,860 | 85 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2023 (includes vacant units) | 5,863 | 84 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 3,726 | 84 | 63.6% | 63.9% |
| Median Value (2023) | $96,700 | 92 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,334 | 79 | 22.8% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2023) | $494 | 90 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2024/2025 Total Reported) | 1,412 | 87 | 0.1% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 1,412 | 87 | 0.1% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2023 ACS) | 8,405 | 85 | 0.2% | 4,559,304 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 89.5% | 57 | | 90.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 13.5% | 85 | | 28.8% |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2023 | $46,989 | 85 | 76.7% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2023 | 51,799 | 91 | 74.6% | $69,458 |
| Poverty Rate in 2023 | 15.7% | 9 | 128.7% | 12.2% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 18.8% | 16 | 124.5% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2024 | 5 | 87 | 0.1% | 4,813 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2024 | 1,420 | 74 | 0.2% | 608,295 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 916 | 81 | 0.2% | 488,145 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration; Indiana Department of Education
| Health and Vital Statistics | Number | Rank of | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 126 | 84 | 0.2% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 17 | 51 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 137 | 85 | 0.2% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 5,099 | 86 | 0.1% | 3,455,992 |
| Employed | 4,859 | 86 | 0.1% | 3,310,992 |
| Unemployed | 240 | 84 | 0.2% | 145,000 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.7 | 12 | 111.9% | 4.2 |
| May 2025 Unemployment Rate | 3.8 | 10 | 111.8% | 3.4 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2023 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 4,232 | 100.0% | $232,107 | 100.0% | $54,846 |
| Wage and Salary | 3,102 | 73.3% | $152,945 | 65.9% | $49,305 |
| Farm Proprietors | 213 | 5.0% | $15,317 | 6.6% | $71,911 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 917 | 21.7% | $25,829 | 11.1% | $28,167 |
| Farm | 254 | 6.0% | $18,197 | 7.8% | $71,642 |
| Nonfarm | 3,978 | 94.0% | $213,910 | 92.2% | $53,773 |
| Private | 3,446 | 81.4% | $184,008 | 79.3% | $53,398 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 266 | 6.3% | $21,982 | 9.5% | $82,639 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 853 | 20.2% | $64,271 | 27.7% | $75,347 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 130 | 3.1% | $6,717 | 2.9% | $51,669 |
| Retail Trade | 357 | 8.4% | $11,629 | 5.0% | $32,574 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 136 | 3.2% | $8,983 | 3.9% | $66,051 |
| Other Private (not above) | 685* | 16.2%* | $14,342* | 6.2%* | $20,937* |
| Government | 532 | 12.6% | $29,902 | 12.9% | $56,207 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
| Residential Building Permits, 2024 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 9 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $2,460 | $8,133,071 |
| Single-Family | 9 | 100.0% | 75.4% | $2,460 | $6,951,719 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.9% | 0 | $100,498 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.8% | $0 | $45,624 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 21.9% | $0 | $1,035,231 |
Notes: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding. Greene County does not currently issue building permits, so it is excluded.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Cities and Towns in Blackford County
| Name | Population
in 2024 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Dunkirk | 129 | 1.1%* |
| Hartford City | 5,927 | 50.2% |
| Montpelier | 1,502 | 12.7% |
| Shamrock Lakes | 216 | 1.8% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers