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Wells County
IN Depth Profile
County Seat:     Bluffton
Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
Largest City:     Bluffton (pop in 2006: 9,463
Population per Sq. Mile:     75.5     Sq. Miles:     370.0
Link to County's in.gov Site
Population Over TimeNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Yesterday(1990)25,948570.5%5,544,156
Today(2007)27,927560.4%6,345,289
Tomorrow(2010 proj.)27,737580.4%6,417,198
Percent Change 1990 to 20006.4%57 9.7%
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
Components of Population Change in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Net Domestic Migration 2006 to 2007-5941 -505
Net International Migration 2006 to 2007179 9,038
Natural Increase (births minus deaths)93510.3%33,408
Source: US Census Bureau

Population Estimates by Age in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Preschool (0 to 4)1,718606.1%6.8%
School Age (5 to 17)5,1995718.4%18.2%
College Age (18 to 24)2,494558.8%9.8%
Young Adult (25 to 44)7,1736025.4%27.6%
Older Adult (45 to 64)7,4555526.4%25.2%
Older (65 plus)4,1605514.8%12.4%
Median Age38.7  Median Age = 36.3
Sources: US Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center

Population Estimates by Race or Hispanic Origin in 2006NumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone55630.2%0.3%
Asian Alone82610.3%1.3%
Black Alone61730.2%8.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone8470.0%0.0%
White Alone27,8025598.6%88.3%
Two or More Race Groups191570.7%1.1%
Hispanic or Latino(can be of any race)    
Non-Hispanic or Latino27,7215798.3%95.2%
Hispanic or Latino478511.7%4.8%
Source: US Census Bureau

Household TypesNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Households in 2000 (Includes detail not shown below)10,40256100.0%100.0%
   Married With Children2,9115528.0%23.8%
   Married Without Children3,5245533.9%29.8%
   Single Parents736627.1%9.1%
   Living Alone2,4235623.3%25.9%
Source: US Census Bureau

HousingNumberRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Total Housing Units in 2006 (estimate)11,61962100.0%100.0%
Total Housing Units in 2000 (includes vacant units)10,97062100.0%100.0%
   Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Value (2000)
8,420
$87,900
54
40
76.8%
--
65.9%
--
   Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units)
   Median Rent (2000)
1,982
$458
62
49
18.1%
--
26.3%
--
Source: US Census Bureau

EducationNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
School Enrollment (2006/2007 Total Reported) 5,107530.4%1,154,826
   Public4,885550.5%1,045,702
   Private222930.2%109,124
High School Graduates (2005/2006)345520.6%62,296
   Going on to Higher Education257530.5%51,976
   4-year180500.5%38,334
   2-year27880.3%8,991
   Voc/tech.50231.1%4,651
Adults (25+ in 2000 Census)17,767560.5%3,893,278
   with High School diploma or higher87.3%8 82.1%
   with B.A. or higher degree14.3%32 19.4%
Sources: Indiana Department of Education; US Census Bureau
Notes: 1) School enrollment figures for 2006/2007 are preliminary. 2) Private enrollment includes home schools. 3) County rankings for high-school graduates continuing to higher education are subject to revision. Data from the Indiana Department of Education for Vigo County appear to include an erroneous entry. Until the data has been corrected by IDOE, Vigo will be removed from the rankings.

Income and PovertyNumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Per Capita Personal Income (annual) in 2006$28,2364587.5%$32,288
Median Household Income in 2005$45,82227104.0%$44,051
Poverty Rate in 20057.4%8460.7%12.2%
   Poverty Rate among Children under 1810.6%8263.9%16.6%
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 200657770.1%41,498
Food Stamp Recipients in 20061,409750.2%577,970
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 20061,027710.3%374,221
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; US Census Bureau; Indiana Family Social Services Administration;
Indiana Department of Education

Health and Vital Statistics in 2005NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Births306630.4%87,088
   Births to Teens21800.2%9,604
Deaths240630.4%55,623
Source: Indiana State Department of Health

Labor Force in 2007NumberRank in StatePercent of StateIndiana
Total Resident Labor Force14,890550.5%3,211,461
Employed14,282550.5%3,065,590
Unemployed608610.4%145,871
Unemployment Rate4.17091.1%4.5
March 2008 Unemployment Rate5.945105.4%5.6
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Employment and Earnings by Industry in 2006 (NAICS)EmploymentPct Dist.
in County
Earnings ($000)Pct Dist.
In County
Avg. Earnings Per Job
Total by place of work15,163100.0%$485,566100.0%$32,023
Wage and Salary11,85078.2%$356,54073.4%$30,088
Farm Proprietors6434.2%$5,5241.1%$8,591
Nonfarm Proprietors2,67017.6%$29,4306.1%$11,022
Farm8735.8%$8,4481.7%$9,677
Nonfarm14,29094.2%$477,11898.3%$33,388
Private12,73184.0%$415,18885.5%$32,612
  Accommodation, Food Serv.7234.8%$6,8171.4%$9,429
  Arts, Ent., Recreation1050.7%$9070.2%$8,638
  Construction7815.2%$22,1234.6%$28,327
  Health Care, Social Serv.1,64110.8%$54,77011.3%$33,376
  Information1220.8%$3,5370.7%$28,992
  Manufacturing2,66917.6%$162,78033.5%$60,989
  Professional, Tech. Serv.Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
  Retail Trade1,63410.8%$28,0505.8%$17,166
  Trans., Warehousing1,71311.3%$54,62111.2%$31,886
  Wholesale TradeData not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.
  Other Private (not above)2,238*14.8%*$39,140*8.1%*$17,489*
Government1,55910.3%$61,93012.8%$39,724
Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis
* These totals do not include county data that are not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements.

Assessed Property Value in 1999 (for taxes payable in 2000)ValueRank in StatePct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Assessed Value by Property Class$241,673,35056100.0%100.0%
   Commercial & Industrial$81,858,0205633.9%43.2%
   Residential$93,716,2205238.8%41.5%
   Agricultural$57,298,7005523.7%9.6%
   Utilities$8,800,410743.6%5.6%
Total Assesed Value Per Capita$9,00143  
Source: The State Board of Tax Commissioners

Residential Building Permits in 2006UnitsPct Dist.
in County
Pct Dist.
in State
Cost ($000)State Cost ($000)
Total Permits Filed67100.0%100.0%$11,526$4,687,933
   Single Family5886.6%84.1%$10,635$4,343,823
   Two Family69.0%3.5%$614$103,869
   Three & Four Family34.5%2.0%$277$41,336
   Five families and More00.0%10.4%$0$198,905
Source: US Census Bureau (Greene County totals are not included as it does not currently issue building permits.) Note: Detail cost may not sum to total due to rounding.

Commuting Patterns - Top 5 in 2006
Into Wells FROMNumberPercentOut of Wells TONumberPercent
All Areas2,76316.8%All Areas 5,69129.4%
Allen County6604.0%Allen County3,81919.7%
Adams County6564.0%Adams County7243.7%
Huntington County4802.9%Huntington County4232.2%
Blackford County3662.2%Blackford County1220.6%
Jay County2841.7%Grant County1200.6%
Source: Indiana Department of Revenue

  Cities and Towns in Wells County
 Population
in 2006
% of County
Bluffton9,46333.9%
Markle4401.6%*
Ossian2,92510.5%
Poneto2350.8%
Uniondale2711.0%
Vera Cruz540.2%
Zanesville5121.8%*
  * Population in this county is shown, this city or town crosses county lines.
 Order by Size
Bluffton
Ossian
Zanesville*
Markle*
Uniondale
Poneto
Vera Cruz

  Links to Maps:
  Census Tract Boundary Map of Wells county
  Tiger Mapping Service Map of Area
  Top of page


County Profiles is a component of STATS Indiana, a web-based information service of the State of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, developed and maintained by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.
Updated: April 29, 2008 at 15:06