Jay County, Indiana
Named in 1836 for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay
County Seat: Portland
Largest City: Portland (2022 population: 6,234)
Population per Square Mile: 52.61
Square Miles: 383.90
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 20,478 | 71 | 0.3% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2022) | 20,198 | 72 | 0.3% | 6,833,037 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 20,975 | 68 | 0.3% | 7,014,880 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | -1.4% | 81 | | 0.7% |
*Projection based on 2015 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2021-2022 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | -158 | 80 | | 5,230 |
| Net International Migration | 6 | 68 | | 15,490 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 42 | 16 | 4.1% | 1,024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2021 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,396 | 62 | 6.9% | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 3,749 | 68 | 18.5% | 17.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,579 | 69 | 7.8% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 4,541 | 73 | 22.4% | 25.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 5,214 | 74 | 25.8% | 24.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 3,769 | 75 | 18.6% | 16.4% |
| Median Age | 40.0 | | | Median Age = 38.1 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2021 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 55 | 82 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 84 | 72 | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| Black Alone | 155 | 73 | 0.8% | 10.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 7 | 68 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 19,687 | 70 | 97.2% | 84.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 260 | 71 | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Non-Hispanic | 19,562 | 70 | 96.6% | 92.3% |
| Hispanic | 686 | 61 | 3.4% | 7.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2021 (Includes detail not shown below) | 8,146 | 69 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 1,368 | 71 | 16.8% | 18.2% |
| Married Without Children | 2,467 | 75 | 30.3% | 29.8% |
| Single Parents | 697 | 68 | 8.6% | 9.2% |
| Living Alone | 2,438 | 65 | 29.9% | 29.1% |
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 2022 (estimate) | 8,907 | 72 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2021 (includes vacant units) | 8,939 | 72 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 6,110 | 72 | 68.4% | 62.9% |
| Median Value (2021) | $96,100 | 85 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,036 | 63 | 22.8% | 27.2% |
| Median Rent (2021) | $508 | 74 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2021/2022 Total Reported) | 3,145 | 68 | 0.3% | 1,120,155 |
| Public | 2,984 | 70 | 0.3% | 1,036,519 |
| Adults (25+ in 2021 ACS) | 13,759 | 73 | 0.3% | 4,501,214 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 88% | 66 | | 89.8% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 12.9% | 85 | | 27.8% |
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 2021 | $49,300 | 56 | 87.3% | 56,497 |
| Median Household Income in 2021 | 52,315 | 82 | 83.4% | $62,723 |
| Poverty Rate in 2021 | 13.6% | 25 | 112.4% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 20.9% | 12 | 133.1% | 15.7% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 9 | 76 | 0.2% | 3,933 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 1,677 | 66 | 0.3% | 611,203 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2021/2022 | 1,656 | 65 | 0.3% | 481,568 |
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 | 297 | 61 | 0.4% | 80,851 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 14 | 59 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 226 | 73 | 0.3% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2022 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 8,888 | 73 | 0.3% | 3,404,443 |
| Employed | 8,649 | 73 | 0.3% | 3,302,632 |
| Unemployed | 239 | 78 | 0.2% | 101,811 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 49 | 90.0% | 3.0 |
| August 2023 Unemployment Rate | 3.2 | 58 | 86.5% | 3.7 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2021 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 9,773 | 100.0% | $605,377 | 100.0% | $61,944 |
| Wage and Salary | 7,098 | 72.6% | $302,690 | 50.0% | $42,644 |
| Farm Proprietors | 691 | 7.1% | $160,322 | 26.5% | $232,014 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 1,984 | 20.3% | $64,441 | 10.6% | $32,480 |
| Farm | 886 | 9.1% | $164,207 | 27.1% | $185,335 |
| Nonfarm | 8,887 | 90.9% | $441,170 | 72.9% | $49,642 |
| Private | 8,011 | 82.0% | $391,068 | 64.6% | $48,816 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 457 | 4.7% | $8,880 | 1.5% | $19,431 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 44 | 0.5% | $348 | 0.1% | $7,909 |
| Construction | 752 | 7.7% | $45,685 | 7.5% | $60,751 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 701 | 7.2% | $27,068 | 4.5% | $38,613 |
| Information | 49 | 0.5% | $2,701 | 0.4% | $55,122 |
| Manufacturing | 2,797 | 28.6% | $182,796 | 30.2% | $65,354 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Retail Trade | 876 | 9.0% | $22,082 | 3.6% | $25,208 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 262 | 2.7% | $16,546 | 2.7% | $63,153 |
| Wholesale Trade | 283 | 2.9% | $19,296 | 3.2% | $68,184 |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,402* | 14.3%* | $47,165* | 7.8%* | $33,641* |
| Government | 876 | 9.0% | $50,102 | 8.3% | $57,194 |
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, 2022 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 17 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $5,918 | $6,635,992 |
| Single-Family | 17 | 100.0% | 65.0% | $5,918 | $5,513,030 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.9% | 0 | $76,873 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.5% | $0 | $14,702 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 32.6% | $0 | $1,031,387 |
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 Jay County
| Name | Population
in 2022 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bryant | 237 | 1.2% |
| Dunkirk | 1,988 | 9.8%* |
| Pennville | 617 | 3.1% |
| Portland | 6,234 | 30.9% |
| Redkey | 1,081 | 5.4% |
| Salamonia | 149 | 0.7% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
