Starke County, Indiana
Formed in 1850 and named after Revolutionary War General John Stark
County Seat: Knox
Largest City: Knox (2024 population: 3,630)
Population per Square Mile: 75.91
Square Miles: 309.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 23,371 | 66 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2024) | 23,463 | 65 | 0.3% | 6,934,754 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 22,742 | 67 | 0.3% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.4% | 44 | | 2.2% |
*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 | 139 | 33 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 43 | 44 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -49 | 55 | -0.6% | 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) | 1,298 | 65 | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 3,890 | 65 | 16.6% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,686 | 66 | 7.2% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 5,417 | 66 | 23.1% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,116 | 67 | 26.1% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 5,056 | 62 | 21.5% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 42.9 | | | 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 | 135 | 56 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 127 | 68 | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 168 | 75 | 0.7% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 3 | 85 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 22,698 | 65 | 96.7% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 332 | 65 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 22,313 | 66 | 95.1% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 1,150 | 51 | 4.9% | 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) | 8,983 | 67 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 1,504 | 66 | 16.7% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 3,145 | 67 | 35.0% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 707 | 70 | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 2,383 | 69 | 26.5% | 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) | 11,396 | 63 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 11,273 | 63 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 7,453 | 65 | 66.1% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $157,700 | 68 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,530 | 76 | 13.6% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $516 | 90 | | |
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) | 3,261 | 67 | 0.3% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 3,114 | 67 | 0.3% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 16,429 | 65 | 0.4% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 87% | 78 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 12.5% | 89 | | 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 | $44,313 | 89 | 72.4% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 67,134 | 64 | 93.3% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 11.2% | 50 | 92.6% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 16.1% | 37 | 101.9% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 11 | 64 | 0.2% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 2,315 | 45 | 0.4% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 1,458 | 69 | 0.3% | 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 | 238 | 67 | 0.3% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 12 | 64 | 0.3% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 284 | 64 | 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 | 9,372 | 73 | 0.3% | 3,455,992 |
| Employed | 8,872 | 73 | 0.3% | 3,310,992 |
| Unemployed | 500 | 62 | 0.3% | 145,000 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 5.3 | 3 | 126.2% | 4.2 |
| December 2025 Unemployment Rate | 3.7 | 2 | 137.0% | 2.7 |
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 | 6,809 | 100.0% | $327,006 | 100.0% | $48,026 |
| Wage and Salary | 4,393 | 64.5% | $204,057 | 62.4% | $46,450 |
| Farm Proprietors | 413 | 6.1% | $24,764 | 7.6% | $59,961 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,003 | 29.4% | $47,004 | 14.4% | $23,467 |
| Farm | 470 | 6.9% | $27,955 | 8.5% | $59,479 |
| Nonfarm | 6,339 | 93.1% | $299,051 | 91.5% | $47,176 |
| Private | 5,365 | 78.8% | $246,734 | 75.5% | $45,990 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 429 | 6.3% | $8,076 | 2.5% | $18,825 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 83 | 1.2% | $1,110 | 0.3% | $13,373 |
| Construction | 402 | 5.9% | $19,214 | 5.9% | $47,796 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 506 | 7.4% | $26,456 | 8.1% | $52,285 |
| Information | 49 | 0.7% | $2,531 | 0.8% | $51,653 |
| Manufacturing | 668 | 9.8% | $47,996 | 14.7% | $71,850 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 176 | 2.6% | $6,146 | 1.9% | $34,920 |
| Retail Trade | 775 | 11.4% | $24,490 | 7.5% | $31,600 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 149 | 2.2% | $0 | 0.0% | $0 |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,780* | 26.1%* | $79,672* | 24.4%* | $44,760* |
| Government | 974 | 14.3% | $52,317 | 16.0% | $53,714 |
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 | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $12,934 | $8,133,071 |
| Single-Family | 55 | 100.0% | 75.4% | $12,934 | $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 Starke County
| Name | Population
in 2024 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Hamlet | 780 | 3.3% |
| Knox | 3,630 | 15.5% |
| North Judson | 1,814 | 7.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers