Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
County Seat: Bluffton
Largest City: Bluffton (2022 population: 10,379)
Population per Square Mile: 77.57
Square Miles: 368.10
Go to county's in.gov site
Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
Yesterday (2020) | 28,180 | 57 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
Today (2023) | 28,555 | 56 | 0.4% | 6,862,199 |
Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 28,210 | 56 | 0.4% | 7,014,880 |
Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.3% | 24 | | 1.1% |
*Projection based on 2015 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
Components of Population Change, 2022-2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
Net Domestic Migration | 266 | 22 | | 4,599 |
Net International Migration | 24 | 42 | | 17,869 |
Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -33 | 44 | -0.4% | 7,508 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Population Estimates by Age, 2022 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
---|
Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,766 | 52 | 6.2% | 5.9% |
School Age (5 to 17) | 5,193 | 51 | 18.3% | 17.0% |
College Age (18 to 24) | 2,230 | 57 | 7.9% | 9.9% |
Young Adult (25 to 44) | 6,769 | 56 | 23.9% | 25.7% |
Older Adult (45 to 64) | 7,038 | 58 | 24.8% | 24.5% |
Seniors (65 and older) | 5,339 | 55 | 18.8% | 16.9% |
Median Age | 39.8 | | | Median Age = 38.2 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2022 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
---|
American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 88 | 67 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
Asian Alone | 212 | 49 | 0.7% | 2.8% |
Black Alone | 304 | 54 | 1.1% | 10.3% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 15 | 53 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
White | 27,313 | 57 | 96.4% | 84.0% |
Two or More Race Groups | 403 | 52 | 1.4% | 2.4% |
Non-Hispanic | 27,297 | 56 | 96.3% | 92.1% |
Hispanic | 1,038 | 52 | 3.7% | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist. in County | Pct Dist. in State |
---|
Households in 2022 (Includes detail not shown below) | 11,155 | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Married With Children | 2,411 | 49 | 21.6% | 18.1% |
Married Without Children | 3,751 | 55 | 33.6% | 29.6% |
Single Parents | 755 | 62 | 6.8% | 9.0% |
Living Alone | 3,258 | 52 | 29.2% | 29.4% |
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) | 12,043 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 11,961 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 8,622 | 55 | 72.1% | 63.5% |
Median Value (2022) | $161,300 | 44 | | |
Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,533 | 55 | 21.2% | 27.1% |
Median Rent (2022) | $600 | 49 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
---|
School Enrollment (2022/2023 Total Reported) | 5,212 | 49 | 0.5% | 1,124,094 |
Public | 5,156 | 47 | 0.5% | 1,035,718 |
Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 18,997 | 58 | 0.4% | 4,532,091 |
with High School diploma or higher | 93.3% | 8 | | 90% |
with B.A. or higher degree | 19.1% | 45 | | 28.2% |
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 2022 | $51,343 | 52 | 88.0% | 58,323 |
Median Household Income in 2022 | 68,879 | 28 | 103.2% | $66,768 |
Poverty Rate in 2022 | 9.1% | 79 | 72.8% | 12.5% |
Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 12.1% | 74 | 78.6% | 15.4% |
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 10 | 70 | 0.3% | 3,933 |
Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 1,498 | 72 | 0.2% | 611,203 |
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2022/2023 | 2,047 | 57 | 0.4% | 511,735 |
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 | 317 | 56 | 0.4% | 79,946 |
Births to Teens, 2021 | 14 | 59 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
Deaths, 2019 | 290 | 62 | 0.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
Labor Force, 2022 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
---|
Total Resident Labor Force | 14,353 | 55 | 0.4% | 3,373,887 |
Employed | 14,022 | 54 | 0.4% | 3,270,662 |
Unemployed | 331 | 65 | 0.3% | 103,225 |
Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.3 | 83 | 74.2% | 3.1 |
February 2024 Unemployment Rate | 3.6 | 65 | 85.7% | 4.2 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2022 | Employment | Pct Dist. in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist. In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
---|
Total by place of work | 14,716 | 100.0% | $800,990 | 100.0% | $54,430 |
Wage and Salary | 11,313 | 76.9% | $554,448 | 69.2% | $49,010 |
Farm Proprietors | 497 | 3.4% | $50,033 | 6.2% | $100,670 |
Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,906 | 19.7% | $72,810 | 9.1% | $25,055 |
Farm | 642 | 4.4% | $55,366 | 6.9% | $86,240 |
Nonfarm | 14,074 | 95.6% | $745,624 | 93.1% | $52,979 |
Private | 12,706 | 86.3% | $671,151 | 83.8% | $52,822 |
Accommodation, Food Serv. | 588 | 4.0% | $12,410 | 1.5% | $21,105 |
Arts, Ent., Recreation | 88 | 0.6% | $665 | 0.1% | $7,557 |
Construction | 812 | 5.5% | $52,097 | 6.5% | $64,159 |
Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
Information | 85 | 0.6% | $4,330 | 0.5% | $50,941 |
Manufacturing | 2,809 | 19.1% | $208,119 | 26.0% | $74,090 |
Professional, Tech. Serv. | 440 | 3.0% | $20,209 | 2.5% | $45,930 |
Retail Trade | 1,450 | 9.9% | $46,258 | 5.8% | $31,902 |
Trans., Warehousing | 1,506 | 10.2% | $92,628 | 11.6% | $61,506 |
Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
Other Private (not above) | 2,210* | 15.0%* | $90,572* | 11.3%* | $40,983* |
Government | 1,368 | 9.3% | $74,473 | 9.3% | $54,439 |
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 | 121 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $29,525 | $6,635,992 |
Single-Family | 100 | 82.6% | 65.0% | $26,304 | $5,513,030 |
2-Family | 18 | 14.9% | 1.9% | 2,830 | $76,873 |
3- and 4-Family | 3 | 2.5% | 0.5% | $392 | $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 Wells County
Name | Population in 2022 | Percent of County |
---|
Bluffton | 10,379 | 36.3% |
Markle | 504 | 1.8%* |
Ossian | 3,359 | 11.8% |
Poneto | 173 | 0.6% |
Uniondale | 272 | 1.0% |
Vera Cruz | 74 | 0.3% |
Zanesville | 471 | 1.6%* |
* This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates