Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
County Seat: Bluffton
Largest City: Bluffton (2024 population: 10,556)
Population per Square Mile: 78.23
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 (2024) | 28,798 | 56 | 0.4% | 6,924,275 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 29,242 | 56 | 0.4% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 2.2% | 23 | | 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 | 112 | 36 | | 4,268 |
| Net International Migration | 31 | 49 | | 30,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 18 | 25 | 0.2% | 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) | 1,790 | 50 | 6.2% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 5,256 | 51 | 18.3% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 2,194 | 56 | 7.6% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 7,056 | 54 | 24.5% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,843 | 58 | 23.8% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 5,659 | 54 | 19.7% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 39.8 | | | 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 | 95 | 67 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 180 | 56 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 388 | 48 | 1.3% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 19 | 47 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 27,695 | 56 | 96.2% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 421 | 53 | 1.5% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 27,514 | 56 | 95.5% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 1,284 | 47 | 4.5% | 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) | 11,360 | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 2,410 | 45 | 21.2% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 3,734 | 54 | 32.9% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 850 | 56 | 7.5% | 8.9% |
| Living Alone | 3,348 | 52 | 29.5% | 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) | 12,246 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2023 (includes vacant units) | 12,003 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 8,656 | 56 | 72.1% | 63.9% |
| Median Value (2023) | $180,000 | 41 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,704 | 51 | 22.5% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2023) | $643 | 47 | | |
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) | 5,191 | 49 | 0.5% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 5,106 | 45 | 0.5% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2023 ACS) | 19,072 | 57 | 0.4% | 4,559,304 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 93.3% | 10 | | 90.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 18.9% | 52 | | 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 | $53,280 | 51 | 87.0% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2023 | 69,833 | 37 | 100.5% | $69,458 |
| Poverty Rate in 2023 | 8.6% | 81 | 70.5% | 12.2% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 10.7% | 77 | 70.9% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2024 | 15 | 57 | 0.3% | 4,813 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2024 | 1,485 | 70 | 0.2% | 608,295 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 2,138 | 54 | 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 | 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, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 15,127 | 53 | 0.4% | 3,455,992 |
| Employed | 14,603 | 53 | 0.4% | 3,310,992 |
| Unemployed | 524 | 58 | 0.4% | 145,000 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.5 | 78 | 83.3% | 4.2 |
| May 2025 Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 88 | 79.4% | 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 | 14,716 | 100.0% | $856,823 | 100.0% | $58,224 |
| Wage and Salary | 11,313 | 76.9% | $599,874 | 70.0% | $53,025 |
| Farm Proprietors | 497 | 3.4% | $41,854 | 4.9% | $84,213 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,906 | 19.7% | $79,625 | 9.3% | $27,400 |
| Farm | 642 | 4.4% | $49,443 | 5.8% | $77,014 |
| Nonfarm | 14,074 | 95.6% | $807,380 | 94.2% | $57,367 |
| Private | 12,706 | 86.3% | $728,311 | 85.0% | $57,320 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 588 | 4.0% | $14,209 | 1.7% | $24,165 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 88 | 0.6% | $475 | 0.1% | $5,398 |
| Construction | 812 | 5.5% | $49,482 | 5.8% | $60,938 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | 85 | 0.6% | $5,715 | 0.7% | $67,235 |
| Manufacturing | 2,809 | 19.1% | $242,221 | 28.3% | $86,230 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 440 | 3.0% | $21,595 | 2.5% | $49,080 |
| Retail Trade | 1,450 | 9.9% | $49,763 | 5.8% | $34,319 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 1,506 | 10.2% | $94,113 | 11.0% | $62,492 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 2,210* | 15.0%* | $99,783* | 11.6%* | $45,151* |
| Government | 1,368 | 9.3% | $79,069 | 9.2% | $57,799 |
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 | 73 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $22,074 | $8,133,071 |
| Single-Family | 52 | 71.2% | 75.4% | $18,360 | $6,951,719 |
| 2-Family | 18 | 24.7% | 1.9% | 3,175 | $100,498 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 3 | 4.1% | 0.8% | $539 | $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 Wells County
| Name | Population
in 2024 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bluffton | 10,556 | 36.7% |
| Markle | 510 | 1.8%* |
| Ossian | 3,438 | 11.9% |
| Poneto | 176 | 0.6% |
| Uniondale | 276 | 1.0% |
| Vera Cruz | 70 | 0.2% |
| Zanesville | 477 | 1.7%* |
| * 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