Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
County Seat: Bluffton
Largest City: Bluffton (2021 population: 10,318)
Population per Square Mile: 76.60
Square Miles: 368.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2010) | 27,637 | 58 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2021) | 28,197 | 56 | 0.4% | 6,805,985 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 27,834 | 58 | 0.4% | 7,143,795 |
| Percent Change 2010 to Today | 2.0% | 26 | | 5.0% |
*Projection based on 2010 Census counts.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2020-2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 27 | 59 | | 14,280 |
| Net International Migration | 2 | 64 | | 4,756 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -15 | 27 | -2.2% | 692 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2020 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,785 | 55 | 6.3% | 6.1% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 5,116 | 52 | 18.2% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 2,074 | 59 | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 6,660 | 56 | 23.7% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 7,219 | 58 | 25.7% | 24.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 5,288 | 56 | 18.8% | 16.5% |
| Median Age | 40.2 | | | Median Age = 38.0 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2020 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 83 | 68 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 189 | 49 | 0.7% | 2.7% |
| Black Alone | 273 | 54 | 1.0% | 10.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 12 | 60 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 27,216 | 57 | 96.7% | 84.5% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 369 | 51 | 1.3% | 2.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 27,219 | 56 | 96.7% | 92.6% |
| Hispanic | 923 | 53 | 3.3% | 7.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2020 (Includes detail not shown below) | 11,122 | 56 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 2,363 | 50 | 21.2% | 18.3% |
| Married Without Children | 4,068 | 52 | 36.6% | 29.8% |
| Single Parents | 856 | 60 | 7.7% | 9.3% |
| Living Alone | 2,997 | 55 | 26.9% | 29.0% |
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 2021 (estimate) | 11,994 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2020 (includes vacant units) | 11,923 | 59 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 8,613 | 54 | 72.2% | 62.3% |
| Median Value (2020) | $132,500 | 43 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,509 | 57 | 21.0% | 27.4% |
| Median Rent (2020) | $549 | 45 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2020/2021 Total Reported) | 4,971 | 51 | 0.4% | 1,112,460 |
| Public | 4,918 | 49 | 0.5% | 1,033,286 |
| Adults (25+ in 2020 ACS) | 19,022 | 57 | 0.4% | 4,466,180 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 92.2% | 12 | | 89.3% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 18.7% | 42 | | 27.2% |
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 2020 | $45,704 | 52 | 88.0% | 51,926 |
| Median Household Income in 2019 | 61,636 | 24 | 107.0% | $57,617 |
| Poverty Rate in 2019 | 7.4% | 85 | 62.2% | 11.9% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 10.3% | 80 | 68.2% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2021 | 14 | 71 | 0.2% | 6,453 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2021 | 1,513 | 72 | 0.2% | 636,675 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2019/2020 | 1,891 | 62 | 0.4% | 507,739 |
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, 2019 | 335 | 54 | 0.4% | 80,859 |
| Births to Teens, 2017 | 24 | 53 | 0.5% | 5,152 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 290 | 62 | 0.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 13,851 | 55 | 0.4% | 3,321,548 |
| Employed | 13,496 | 55 | 0.4% | 3,203,166 |
| Unemployed | 355 | 63 | 0.3% | 118,382 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.6 | 72 | 72.2% | 3.6 |
| May 2022 Unemployment Rate | 1.9 | 81 | 76.0% | 2.5 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2020 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 14,092 | 100.0% | $696,006 | 100.0% | $49,390 |
| Wage and Salary | 11,038 | 78.3% | $475,610 | 68.3% | $43,088 |
| Farm Proprietors | 507 | 3.6% | $39,269 | 5.6% | $77,454 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,547 | 18.1% | $62,890 | 9.0% | $24,692 |
| Farm | 681 | 4.8% | $44,114 | 6.3% | $64,778 |
| Nonfarm | 13,411 | 95.2% | $651,892 | 93.7% | $48,609 |
| Private | 12,059 | 85.6% | $579,133 | 83.2% | $48,025 |
| 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 | 746 | 5.3% | $42,195 | 6.1% | $56,562 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 2,504 | 17.8% | $164,896 | 23.7% | $65,853 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Retail Trade | 1,413 | 10.0% | $39,910 | 5.7% | $28,245 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 1,613 | 11.4% | $89,584 | 12.9% | $55,539 |
| Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,482* | 10.5%* | $59,515* | 8.6%* | $40,159* |
| Government | 1,352 | 9.6% | $72,759 | 10.5% | $53,816 |
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, 2021 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 56 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $13,708 | $7,583,249 |
| Single-Family | 56 | 100.0% | 74.4% | $13,708 | $6,692,956 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 2.4% | 0 | $117,031 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% | $0 | $30,324 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 22.7% | $0 | $742,937 |
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 2021 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bluffton | 10,318 | 36.6% |
| Markle | 493 | 1.7%* |
| Ossian | 3,271 | 11.6% |
| Poneto | 173 | 0.6% |
| Uniondale | 272 | 1.0% |
| Vera Cruz | 69 | 0.2% |
| Zanesville | 470 | 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