Jay County, Indiana
Named in 1836 for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay
County Seat: Portland
Largest City: Portland (2024 population: 6,233)
Population per Square Mile: 52.40
Square Miles: 383.90
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 20,478 | 71 | 0.3% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 20,118 | 71 | 0.3% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 18,999 | 74 | 0.3% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | -1.8% | 82 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2024-2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -170 | 81 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 1 | 74 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 29 | 27 | 0.3% | 8,561 |
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) | 1,423 | 62 | 7.1% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 3,782 | 68 | 18.8% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,584 | 69 | 7.9% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 4,590 | 73 | 22.8% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 4,986 | 74 | 24.7% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 3,799 | 76 | 18.8% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 39.2 | | | 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 | 62 | 84 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 92 | 75 | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 140 | 80 | 0.7% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 9 | 67 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 19,527 | 70 | 96.8% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 334 | 64 | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 19,237 | 73 | 95.4% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 927 | 60 | 4.6% | 9.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2024 (Includes detail not shown below) | 7,807 | 74 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 1,259 | 76 | 16.1% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 2,369 | 76 | 30.3% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 740 | 67 | 9.5% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 2,289 | 73 | 29.3% | 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) | 8,915 | 72 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 8,904 | 72 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 6,239 | 73 | 70.1% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $117,500 | 89 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,568 | 75 | 17.6% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $545 | 78 | | |
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) | 3,662 | 65 | 0.3% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 3,498 | 64 | 0.3% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 13,385 | 75 | 0.3% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 86% | 81 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 13.3% | 86 | | 29.5% |
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 | $53,566 | 48 | 87.5% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 58,963 | 88 | 81.9% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 14.7% | 14 | 121.5% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 21.8% | 10 | 138.0% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 11 | 64 | 0.2% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 1,502 | 67 | 0.3% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 1,730 | 64 | 0.4% | 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 | 297 | 60 | 0.4% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 14 | 59 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 226 | 73 | 0.3% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 9,459 | 71 | 0.3% | 3,472,118 |
| Employed | 9,107 | 71 | 0.3% | 3,332,175 |
| Unemployed | 352 | 74 | 0.3% | 139,943 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.7 | 70 | 92.5% | 4.0 |
| January 2026 Unemployment Rate | 2.9 | 63 | 87.9% | 3.3 |
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 | 9,970 | 100.0% | $697,277 | 100.0% | $69,938 |
| Wage and Salary | 7,281 | 73.0% | $353,284 | 50.7% | $48,521 |
| Farm Proprietors | 682 | 6.8% | $186,159 | 26.7% | $272,960 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,007 | 20.1% | $73,248 | 10.5% | $36,496 |
| Farm | 858 | 8.6% | $192,706 | 27.6% | $224,599 |
| Nonfarm | 9,112 | 91.4% | $504,571 | 72.4% | $55,374 |
| Private | 8,237 | 82.6% | $451,762 | 64.8% | $54,845 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 445 | 4.5% | $10,415 | 1.5% | $23,404 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 52 | 0.5% | $673 | 0.1% | $12,942 |
| Construction | 800 | 8.0% | $58,708 | 8.4% | $73,385 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | 57 | 0.6% | $2,890 | 0.4% | $50,702 |
| Manufacturing | 2,888 | 29.0% | $199,480 | 28.6% | $69,072 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Retail Trade | 855 | 8.6% | $23,946 | 3.4% | $28,007 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 301 | 3.0% | $22,444 | 3.2% | $74,565 |
| Wholesale Trade | 286 | 2.9% | $25,224 | 3.6% | $88,196 |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,394* | 14.0%* | $54,281* | 7.8%* | $38,939* |
| Government | 875 | 8.8% | $52,809 | 7.6% | $60,353 |
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 | 19 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $4,151 | $8,133,071 |
| Single-Family | 19 | 100.0% | 75.4% | $4,151 | $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 Jay County
| Name | Population
in 2024 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bryant | 237 | 1.2% |
| Dunkirk | 1,977 | 9.8%* |
| Pennville | 616 | 3.1% |
| Portland | 6,233 | 31.0% |
| Redkey | 1,075 | 5.3% |
| Salamonia | 147 | 0.7% |
| * 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