Whitley County, Indiana
Named for Colonel William Whitley, fallen hero of the War of 1812
County Seat: Columbia City
Largest City: Columbia City (2025 population: 10,256)
Population per Square Mile: 104.43
Square Miles: 335.60
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 34,191 | 47 | 0.5% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 35,046 | 45 | 0.5% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 35,333 | 45 | 0.5% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 2.5% | 21 | | 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 in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 70 | 45 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 7 | 67 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 37 | 25 | 0.4% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,975 | 46 | 5.6% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 5,830 | 45 | 16.6% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 2,635 | 52 | 7.5% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 8,264 | 44 | 23.6% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 8,643 | 44 | 24.7% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 7,699 | 41 | 22.0% | 18.4% |
| Median Age | 42.0 | | | Median Age = 38.6 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2025 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 168 | 53 | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 195 | 47 | 0.6% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 260 | 59 | 0.7% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 7 | 67 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 33,366 | 44 | 95.2% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 1,050 | 44 | 3.0% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 33,938 | 44 | 96.8% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 1,108 | 56 | 3.2% | 9.6% |
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) | 14,029 | 44 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 2,753 | 41 | 19.6% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 5,276 | 40 | 37.6% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 964 | 51 | 6.9% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 3,435 | 52 | 24.5% | 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 2025 (estimate) | 15,300 | 46 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 15,030 | 45 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 11,481 | 40 | 76.4% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $219,400 | 25 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,548 | 54 | 17.0% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $696 | 36 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2025/2026 Total Reported) | 5,604 | 44 | 0.5% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 5,566 | 42 | 0.6% | 1,010,042 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 24,203 | 43 | 0.5% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 93% | 12 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 23.6% | 26 | | 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 2024 | $60,895 | 18 | 95.0% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 78,506 | 22 | 109.1% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 8.2% | 83 | 67.8% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 11.0% | 76 | 69.6% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 6 | 85 | 0.1% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 1,420 | 68 | 0.2% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 1,894 | 56 | 0.4% | 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 | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Births, 2021 | 359 | 48 | 0.4% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 7 | 78 | 0.2% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 344 | 47 | 0.5% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 18,320 | 41 | 0.5% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 17,731 | 41 | 0.5% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 589 | 47 | 0.5% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.2 | 74 | 86.5% | 3.7 |
| June 2026 Unemployment Rate | 3.0 | 86 | 83.3% | 3.6 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2024 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 18,717 | 100.0% | $1,242,119 | 100.0% | $66,363 |
| Wage and Salary | 14,352 | 76.7% | $895,739 | 72.1% | $62,412 |
| Farm Proprietors | 572 | 3.1% | $30,941 | 2.5% | $54,093 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 3,793 | 20.3% | $97,879 | 7.9% | $25,805 |
| Farm | 659 | 3.5% | $35,463 | 2.9% | $53,813 |
| Nonfarm | 18,058 | 96.5% | $1,206,656 | 97.1% | $66,821 |
| Private | 16,504 | 88.2% | $1,102,811 | 88.8% | $66,821 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 958 | 5.1% | $22,170 | 1.8% | $23,142 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 230 | 1.2% | $5,434 | 0.4% | $23,626 |
| Construction | 942 | 5.0% | $82,471 | 6.6% | $87,549 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | 112 | 0.6% | $7,325 | 0.6% | $65,402 |
| Manufacturing | 6,082 | 32.5% | $583,121 | 46.9% | $95,877 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Retail Trade | 1,672 | 8.9% | $77,010 | 6.2% | $46,059 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 630 | 3.4% | $59,844 | 4.8% | $94,990 |
| Other Private (not above) | 3,204* | 17.1%* | $135,572* | 10.9%* | $42,313* |
| Government | 1,554 | 8.3% | $103,845 | 8.4% | $66,824 |
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 County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 81 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $32,072 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 77 | 95.1% | 68.4% | $31,052 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 4 | 4.9% | 1.7% | 1,020 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% | $0 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 29.3% | $0 | $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 Whitley County
| Name | Population
in 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Churubusco | 1,853 | 5.3% |
| Columbia City | 10,256 | 29.3% |
| Larwill | 274 | 0.8% |
| South Whitley | 1,850 | 5.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
