Economic Growth Region 2
Largest City: South Bend (2025 population: 103,201)
Population per Square Mile: 277.9
Square Miles: 2,264.5
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 626,774 | 5 | 9.2% | 6,785,528 |
| Today (2025) | 629,217 | 5 | 9.0% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 629,491 | 5 | 9.0% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.4% | 11 | | 2.8% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2024-2025 | Number | Rank of 12 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -1,907 | 10 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 1,495 | 4 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 1,134 | 4 | 13.2% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2025 | Number | Rank of 12 | Pct Dist.
in Region | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 38,656 | 5 | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 110,700 | 5 | 17.6% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 63,419 | 6 | 10.1% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 157,777 | 5 | 25.1% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 143,839 | 5 | 22.9% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 114,826 | 5 | 18.2% | 18.4% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2025 | Number | Rank of 12 | Pct Dist.
in Region | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 7,028 | 3 | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 12,716 | 6 | 2.0% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 53,327 | 5 | 8.5% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 487 | 6 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 526,719 | 5 | 83.7% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 28,940 | 5 | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 535,614 | 5 | 85.1% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 93,603 | 3 | 14.9% | 9.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank of 12 | Pct Dist.
in Region | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2024 (includes detail not shown below) | 237,304 | 5 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 42,233 | 7 | 17.8% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 71,437 | 5 | 30.1% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 20,642 | 1 | 8.7% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 71,086 | 3 | 30.0% | 29.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Housing | Number | Rank of 12 | Pct Dist.
in Region | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Total Housing Units in 2025 (estimate) | 271,495 | 5 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 267,632 | 5 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 170,362 | 5 | 63.7% | 64.4% |
| Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 66,942 | 5 | 25.0% | 26.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank of 12 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2025/2026 Total Reported) | 99,520 | 5 | 8.9% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 87,238 | 5 | 8.6% | 1,010,042 |
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Income and Poverty | Number | Rank of 12 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2024 | $59,280 | 6 | 92.5% | $64,077 |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 347 | 6 | 7.1% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 50,562 | 5 | 8.7% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 43,943 | 5 | 9.2% | 476,608 |
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 12 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 7,883 | 5 | 9.9% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 454 | 3 | 11.8% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 6,036 | 5 | 9.1% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank of 12 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 302,669 | 5 | 8.6% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 290,906 | 5 | 8.6% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 11,763 | 5 | 9.2% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.9 | 2 | 105.4% | 3.7 |
| May 2026 Unemployment Rate | 3.3 | 4 | 103.1% | 3.2 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2024 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in Region | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In Region | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 419,015 | 100.0% | $28,505,958 | 100.0% | $68,031 |
| Wage and Salary | 343,709 | 82.0% | $20,603,137 | 72.3% | $59,944 |
| Farm Proprietors | 4,258 | 1.0% | $361,468 | 1.3% | $84,891 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 71,048 | 17.0% | $2,956,821 | 10.4% | $41,617 |
| Farm | 5,106 | 1.2% | $423,457 | 1.5% | $82,933 |
| Nonfarm | 413,909 | 98.8% | $28,082,501 | 98.5% | $67,847 |
| Private | 384,854 | 91.8% | $26,042,436 | 91.4% | $67,668 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 24,337 | 5.8% | $736,742 | 2.6% | $30,273 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 5,504 | 1.3% | $201,872 | 0.7% | $36,677 |
| Construction | 18,516 | 4.4% | $1,434,249 | 5.0% | $77,460 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 40,578* | 9.7%* | $3,229,176* | 11.3%* | $79,579* |
| Information | 3,059* | 0.7%* | $274,700* | 1.0%* | $89,801* |
| Manufacturing | 114,222 | 27.3% | $8,734,966 | 30.6% | $76,474 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 14,448* | 3.4%* | $1,323,486* | 4.6%* | $91,603* |
| Retail Trade | 37,157 | 8.9% | $1,549,959 | 5.4% | $41,714 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 8,593* | 2.1%* | $785,364* | 2.8%* | $91,396* |
| Wholesale Trade | 18,573 | 4.4% | $2,040,760 | 7.2% | $109,878 |
| Other Private (not above) | 90,736* | 21.7%* | $5,635,422* | 19.8%* | $62,108* |
| Government | 29,055 | 6.9% | $2,040,065 | 7.2% | $70,214 |
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, 2025 | Units | Pct Dist.
in Region | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 1,979 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $593,944 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 1,156 | 58.4% | 68.4% | $465,597 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 52 | 2.6% | 1.7% | $8,969 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 11 | 0.6% | 0.6% | $3,957 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 760 | 38.4% | 29.3% | $115,422 | $1,407,931 |
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 Economic Growth Region 2
| Name | Population
in 2025 | Percent of Region |
|---|
| Bremen | 4,592 | 0.7% |
| Elkhart | 54,092 | 8.6% |
| Goshen | 34,525 | 5.5% |
| Mishawaka | 51,226 | 8.1% |
| Nappanee | 6,885 | 1.1%* |
| Plymouth | 11,081 | 1.8% |
| Rochester | 6,132 | 1.0% |
| South Bend | 103,201 | 16.4% |
| Warsaw | 16,130 | 2.6% |
| Winona Lake | 5,126 | 0.8% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this region is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
Hoosiers by the Numbers