Elkhart County, Indiana
Named for the Elkhart Tribe of Indians and formed in 1830
County Seat: Goshen
Largest City: Elkhart (2024 population: 53,690)
Population per Square Mile: 447.83
Square Miles: 463.20
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 207,047 | 6 | 3.2% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2024) | 207,436 | 6 | 3.0% | 6,924,275 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 207,986 | 6 | 3.0% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.2% | 19 | | 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 | -1,462 | 88 | | 4,268 |
| Net International Migration | 917 | 8 | | 30,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 1,026 | 4 | 11.2% | 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) | 14,507 | 6 | 7.0% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 40,808 | 6 | 19.7% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 19,403 | 9 | 9.4% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 51,721 | 6 | 24.9% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 47,623 | 6 | 23.0% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 33,374 | 8 | 16.1% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 35.9 | | | 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 | 1,602 | 5 | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 2,776 | 13 | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 12,458 | 10 | 6.0% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 188 | 8 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 184,893 | 6 | 89.1% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 5,519 | 7 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 163,570 | 9 | 78.9% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 43,866 | 3 | 21.1% | 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) | 71,760 | 8 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 13,929 | 9 | 19.4% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 22,838 | 6 | 31.8% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 6,774 | 7 | 9.4% | 8.9% |
| Living Alone | 19,880 | 9 | 27.7% | 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) | 81,193 | 8 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2023 (includes vacant units) | 80,102 | 7 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 51,126 | 8 | 63.8% | 63.9% |
| Median Value (2023) | $194,400 | 29 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 20,634 | 9 | 25.8% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2023) | $826 | 15 | | |
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) | 36,085 | 6 | 3.2% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 33,291 | 7 | 3.2% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2023 ACS) | 130,799 | 6 | 2.9% | 4,559,304 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 82.2% | 90 | | 90.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 19.7% | 45 | | 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 | $58,662 | 21 | 95.8% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2023 | 69,262 | 39 | 99.7% | $69,458 |
| Poverty Rate in 2023 | 11.7% | 41 | 95.9% | 12.2% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 15.3% | 40 | 101.3% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2024 | 94 | 9 | 1.9% | 4,813 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2024 | 15,959 | 7 | 2.6% | 608,295 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 17,076 | 4 | 3.5% | 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 | 2,926 | 6 | 3.7% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 174 | 4 | 4.5% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 1,753 | 7 | 2.7% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 98,256 | 8 | 2.8% | 3,455,992 |
| Employed | 93,414 | 8 | 2.8% | 3,310,992 |
| Unemployed | 4,842 | 6 | 3.3% | 145,000 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.9 | 5 | 116.7% | 4.2 |
| May 2025 Unemployment Rate | 3.6 | 17 | 105.9% | 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 | 173,324 | 100.0% | $11,933,253 | 100.0% | $68,849 |
| Wage and Salary | 148,946 | 85.9% | $8,781,535 | 73.6% | $58,958 |
| Farm Proprietors | 1,396 | 0.8% | $150,965 | 1.3% | $108,141 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 22,982 | 13.3% | $1,140,880 | 9.6% | $49,642 |
| Farm | 1,612 | 0.9% | $161,752 | 1.4% | $100,342 |
| Nonfarm | 171,712 | 99.1% | $11,771,501 | 98.6% | $68,554 |
| Private | 162,911 | 94.0% | $11,180,783 | 93.7% | $68,631 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 7,251 | 4.2% | $198,677 | 1.7% | $27,400 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 1,077 | 0.6% | $16,855 | 0.1% | $15,650 |
| Construction | 6,165 | 3.6% | $497,065 | 4.2% | $80,627 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 11,752 | 6.8% | $872,061 | 7.3% | $74,205 |
| Information | 669 | 0.4% | $34,653 | 0.3% | $51,798 |
| Manufacturing | 77,152 | 44.5% | $5,588,539 | 46.8% | $72,435 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 3,777 | 2.2% | $289,891 | 2.4% | $76,752 |
| Retail Trade | 12,437 | 7.2% | $476,910 | 4.0% | $38,346 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 8,540 | 4.9% | $858,288 | 7.2% | $100,502 |
| Other Private (not above) | 27,494* | 15.9%* | $1,962,843* | 16.4%* | $71,392* |
| Government | 8,801 | 5.1% | $590,718 | 5.0% | $67,119 |
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 | 484 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $154,495 | $8,133,071 |
| Single-Family | 342 | 70.7% | 75.4% | $119,885 | $6,951,719 |
| 2-Family | 2 | 0.4% | 1.9% | 550 | $100,498 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 4 | 0.8% | 0.8% | $450 | $45,624 |
| 5+ Family | 136 | 28.1% | 21.9% | $33,610 | $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 Elkhart County
| Name | Population
in 2024 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bristol | 1,805 | 0.9% |
| Elkhart | 53,690 | 25.9% |
| Goshen | 34,458 | 16.6% |
| Middlebury | 3,721 | 1.8% |
| Millersburg | 957 | 0.5% |
| Nappanee | 6,588 | 3.2%* |
| Wakarusa | 2,006 | 1.0% |
| * 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