Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
County Seat: Bluffton
Largest City: Bluffton (2022 population: 10,379)
Population per Square Mile: 77.57
Square Miles: 368.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 28,180 | 57 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2023) | 28,555 | 56 | 0.4% | 6,862,199 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 28,210 | 56 | 0.4% | 7,014,880 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.3% | 24 | | 1.1% |
*Projection based on 2015 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2022-2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 266 | 22 | | 4,599 |
| Net International Migration | 24 | 42 | | 17,869 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -33 | 44 | -0.4% | 7,508 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2022 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,766 | 52 | 6.2% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 5,193 | 51 | 18.3% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 2,230 | 57 | 7.9% | 9.9% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 6,769 | 56 | 23.9% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 7,038 | 58 | 24.8% | 24.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 5,339 | 55 | 18.8% | 16.9% |
| Median Age | 39.8 | | | Median Age = 38.2 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2022 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 88 | 67 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 212 | 49 | 0.7% | 2.8% |
| Black Alone | 304 | 54 | 1.1% | 10.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 15 | 53 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 27,313 | 57 | 96.4% | 84.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 403 | 52 | 1.4% | 2.4% |
| Non-Hispanic | 27,297 | 56 | 96.3% | 92.1% |
| Hispanic | 1,038 | 52 | 3.7% | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2022 (Includes detail not shown below) | 11,155 | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 2,411 | 49 | 21.6% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 3,751 | 55 | 33.6% | 29.6% |
| Single Parents | 755 | 62 | 6.8% | 9.0% |
| Living Alone | 3,258 | 52 | 29.2% | 29.4% |
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 2022 (estimate) | 12,043 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 11,961 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 8,622 | 55 | 72.1% | 63.5% |
| Median Value (2022) | $161,300 | 44 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,533 | 55 | 21.2% | 27.1% |
| Median Rent (2022) | $600 | 49 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2022/2023 Total Reported) | 5,212 | 49 | 0.5% | 1,124,094 |
| Public | 5,156 | 47 | 0.5% | 1,035,718 |
| Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 18,997 | 58 | 0.4% | 4,532,091 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 93.3% | 8 | | 90% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 19.1% | 45 | | 28.2% |
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 2022 | $51,343 | 52 | 88.0% | 58,323 |
| Median Household Income in 2022 | 68,879 | 28 | 103.2% | $66,768 |
| Poverty Rate in 2022 | 9.1% | 79 | 72.8% | 12.5% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 12.1% | 74 | 78.6% | 15.4% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 10 | 70 | 0.3% | 3,933 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 1,498 | 72 | 0.2% | 611,203 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2022/2023 | 2,047 | 57 | 0.4% | 511,735 |
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 | 317 | 56 | 0.4% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 14 | 59 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 290 | 62 | 0.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 14,424 | 55 | 0.4% | 3,401,387 |
| Employed | 14,036 | 54 | 0.4% | 3,288,017 |
| Unemployed | 388 | 61 | 0.3% | 113,370 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 76 | 81.8% | 3.3 |
| March 2024 Unemployment Rate | 3.5 | 67 | 85.4% | 4.1 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2022 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 14,716 | 100.0% | $800,990 | 100.0% | $54,430 |
| Wage and Salary | 11,313 | 76.9% | $554,448 | 69.2% | $49,010 |
| Farm Proprietors | 497 | 3.4% | $50,033 | 6.2% | $100,670 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,906 | 19.7% | $72,810 | 9.1% | $25,055 |
| Farm | 642 | 4.4% | $55,366 | 6.9% | $86,240 |
| Nonfarm | 14,074 | 95.6% | $745,624 | 93.1% | $52,979 |
| Private | 12,706 | 86.3% | $671,151 | 83.8% | $52,822 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 588 | 4.0% | $12,410 | 1.5% | $21,105 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 88 | 0.6% | $665 | 0.1% | $7,557 |
| Construction | 812 | 5.5% | $52,097 | 6.5% | $64,159 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | 85 | 0.6% | $4,330 | 0.5% | $50,941 |
| Manufacturing | 2,809 | 19.1% | $208,119 | 26.0% | $74,090 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 440 | 3.0% | $20,209 | 2.5% | $45,930 |
| Retail Trade | 1,450 | 9.9% | $46,258 | 5.8% | $31,902 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 1,506 | 10.2% | $92,628 | 11.6% | $61,506 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 2,210* | 15.0%* | $90,572* | 11.3%* | $40,983* |
| Government | 1,368 | 9.3% | $74,473 | 9.3% | $54,439 |
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, 2022 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 121 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $29,525 | $6,635,992 |
| Single-Family | 100 | 82.6% | 65.0% | $26,304 | $5,513,030 |
| 2-Family | 18 | 14.9% | 1.9% | 2,830 | $76,873 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 3 | 2.5% | 0.5% | $392 | $14,702 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 32.6% | $0 | $1,031,387 |
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 Wells County
| Name | Population
in 2022 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bluffton | 10,379 | 36.3% |
| Markle | 504 | 1.8%* |
| Ossian | 3,359 | 11.8% |
| Poneto | 173 | 0.6% |
| Uniondale | 272 | 1.0% |
| Vera Cruz | 74 | 0.3% |
| Zanesville | 471 | 1.6%* |
| * 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