Blackford County, Indiana
Named for Isaac Blackford, speaker of the first Indiana General Assembly and a State Supreme Court judge
County Seat: Hartford City
Largest City: Hartford City (2025 population: 5,898)
Population per Square Mile: 71.05
Square Miles: 165.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 12,112 | 85 | 0.2% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 11,730 | 85 | 0.2% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 11,403 | 85 | 0.2% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | -3.2% | 91 | | 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 | -36 | 68 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 8 | 62 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -63 | 61 | -0.7% | 8,561 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 583 | 84 | 4.9% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,004 | 84 | 17.0% | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 864 | 85 | 7.3% | 9.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 2,701 | 85 | 22.9% | 25.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 2,976 | 86 | 25.2% | 23.9% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 2,688 | 84 | 22.7% | 17.5% |
| Median Age | 43.2 | | | Median Age = 38.3 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2024 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 49 | 86 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 74 | 80 | 0.6% | 3.1% |
| Black Alone | 127 | 82 | 1.1% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 6 | 73 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 11,299 | 85 | 95.6% | 83.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 261 | 77 | 2.2% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 11,495 | 85 | 97.3% | 90.9% |
| Hispanic | 321 | 81 | 2.7% | 9.1% |
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) | 5,173 | 83 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 805 | 84 | 15.6% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 1,595 | 85 | 30.8% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 386 | 82 | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 1,840 | 78 | 35.6% | 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) | 5,865 | 85 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 5,853 | 84 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 3,821 | 84 | 65.3% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $107,500 | 92 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,352 | 79 | 23.1% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $508 | 91 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2024/2025 Total Reported) | 1,412 | 87 | 0.1% | 1,132,621 |
| Public | 1,412 | 87 | 0.1% | 1,033,552 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 8,416 | 85 | 0.2% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 90.3% | 48 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 14.5% | 83 | | 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 | $47,422 | 87 | 74.0% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 61,080 | 82 | 84.9% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 12.2% | 36 | 100.8% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 16.6% | 36 | 105.1% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 7 | 82 | 0.2% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 1,383 | 73 | 0.2% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2024/2025 | 916 | 81 | 0.2% | 488,145 |
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 | 126 | 84 | 0.2% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 17 | 51 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 137 | 85 | 0.2% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 5,174 | 86 | 0.1% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 4,960 | 86 | 0.1% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 214 | 84 | 0.2% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.1 | 12 | 110.8% | 3.7 |
| April 2026 Unemployment Rate | 3.1 | 10 | 110.7% | 2.8 |
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 | 4,232 | 100.0% | $221,438 | 100.0% | $52,325 |
| Wage and Salary | 3,102 | 73.3% | $149,916 | 67.7% | $48,329 |
| Farm Proprietors | 213 | 5.0% | $6,901 | 3.1% | $32,399 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 917 | 21.7% | $26,007 | 11.7% | $28,361 |
| Farm | 254 | 6.0% | $10,129 | 4.6% | $39,878 |
| Nonfarm | 3,978 | 94.0% | $211,309 | 95.4% | $53,119 |
| Private | 3,446 | 81.4% | $179,783 | 81.2% | $52,172 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Construction | 266 | 6.3% | $21,323 | 9.6% | $80,162 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 853 | 20.2% | $67,509 | 30.5% | $79,143 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 130 | 3.1% | $8,010 | 3.6% | $61,615 |
| Retail Trade | 357 | 8.4% | $12,889 | 5.8% | $36,104 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 136 | 3.2% | $7,965 | 3.6% | $58,566 |
| Other Private (not above) | 685* | 16.2%* | $15,814* | 7.1%* | $23,086* |
| Government | 532 | 12.6% | $31,526 | 14.2% | $59,259 |
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 | 17 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $4,446 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 17 | 100.0% | 68.4% | $4,446 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 1.7% | 0 | $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 Blackford County
| Name | Population
in 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Dunkirk | 128 | 1.1%* |
| Hartford City | 5,898 | 50.3% |
| Montpelier | 1,489 | 12.7% |
| Shamrock Lakes | 215 | 1.8% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
