Elkhart County, Indiana
Named for the Elkhart Tribe of Indians and formed in 1830
County Seat: Goshen
Largest City: Elkhart (2025 population: 54,092)
Population per Square Mile: 450.72
Square Miles: 463.20
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 207,047 | 6 | 3.2% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2025) | 208,774 | 6 | 3.0% | 6,973,333 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 207,986 | 6 | 3.0% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 0.8% | 19 | | 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 | -949 | 89 | | 12,197 |
| Net International Migration | 545 | 8 | | 17,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 976 | 4 | 11.4% | 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) | 14,342 | 6 | 6.9% | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 39,897 | 6 | 19.1% | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 19,426 | 9 | 9.3% | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 52,581 | 6 | 25.2% | 25.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 47,770 | 6 | 22.9% | 23.5% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 34,758 | 8 | 16.6% | 18.4% |
| Median Age | 36.5 | | | 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 | 3,267 | 4 | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Asian Alone | 2,824 | 12 | 1.4% | 3.2% |
| Black Alone | 13,003 | 9 | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 184 | 8 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| White | 180,071 | 6 | 86.3% | 81.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 9,425 | 7 | 4.5% | 4.2% |
| Non-Hispanic | 162,995 | 10 | 78.1% | 90.4% |
| Hispanic | 45,779 | 3 | 21.9% | 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) | 72,309 | 8 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 13,901 | 8 | 19.2% | 17.9% |
| Married Without Children | 23,585 | 6 | 32.6% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 7,041 | 7 | 9.7% | 8.8% |
| Living Alone | 19,243 | 9 | 26.6% | 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) | 81,659 | 8 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2024 (includes vacant units) | 80,493 | 8 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 51,749 | 8 | 64.3% | 64.4% |
| Median Value (2024) | $210,400 | 32 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 20,560 | 9 | 25.5% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2024) | $850 | 15 | | |
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) | 35,311 | 6 | 3.2% | 1,112,710 |
| Public | 32,357 | 6 | 3.2% | 1,010,042 |
| Adults (25+ in 2024 ACS) | 131,311 | 6 | 2.9% | 4,596,004 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 82.2% | 89 | | 90.4% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 20.1% | 47 | | 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 | $60,348 | 24 | 94.2% | 64,077 |
| Median Household Income in 2024 | 71,053 | 41 | 98.7% | $71,958 |
| Poverty Rate in 2024 | 10.8% | 54 | 89.3% | 12.1% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 14.7% | 47 | 93.0% | 15.8% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2025 | 107 | 7 | 2.2% | 4,863 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2025 | 14,765 | 7 | 2.6% | 578,293 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2025/2026 | 16,163 | 5 | 3.4% | 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 | 2,926 | 6 | 3.7% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 174 | 4 | 4.5% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 1,753 | 7 | 2.7% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2025 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 99,292 | 8 | 2.8% | 3,506,284 |
| Employed | 95,457 | 8 | 2.8% | 3,377,760 |
| Unemployed | 3,835 | 6 | 3.0% | 128,524 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 3.9 | 18 | 105.4% | 3.7 |
| July 2026 Unemployment Rate | 4.1 | 6 | 113.9% | 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 | 173,324 | 100.0% | $11,856,660 | 100.0% | $68,407 |
| Wage and Salary | 148,946 | 85.9% | $8,680,208 | 73.2% | $58,278 |
| Farm Proprietors | 1,396 | 0.8% | $171,869 | 1.4% | $123,115 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 22,982 | 13.3% | $1,097,105 | 9.3% | $47,738 |
| Farm | 1,612 | 0.9% | $183,975 | 1.6% | $114,128 |
| Nonfarm | 171,712 | 99.1% | $11,672,685 | 98.4% | $67,978 |
| Private | 162,911 | 94.0% | $11,030,869 | 93.0% | $67,711 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 7,251 | 4.2% | $203,821 | 1.7% | $28,109 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 1,077 | 0.6% | $20,240 | 0.2% | $18,793 |
| Construction | 6,165 | 3.6% | $498,423 | 4.2% | $80,847 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 11,752 | 6.8% | $904,143 | 7.6% | $76,935 |
| Information | 669 | 0.4% | $57,681 | 0.5% | $86,220 |
| Manufacturing | 77,152 | 44.5% | $5,368,595 | 45.3% | $69,585 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 3,777 | 2.2% | $297,064 | 2.5% | $78,651 |
| Retail Trade | 12,437 | 7.2% | $498,006 | 4.2% | $40,042 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 8,540 | 4.9% | $877,250 | 7.4% | $102,722 |
| Other Private (not above) | 27,494* | 15.9%* | $1,920,168* | 16.2%* | $69,840* |
| Government | 8,801 | 5.1% | $641,816 | 5.4% | $72,925 |
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 | 777 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $188,730 | $8,792,236 |
| Single-Family | 325 | 41.8% | 68.4% | $119,450 | $7,272,703 |
| 2-Family | 10 | 1.3% | 1.7% | 1,970 | $80,213 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.6% | $0 | $31,389 |
| 5+ Family | 442 | 56.9% | 29.3% | $67,310 | $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 Elkhart County
| Name | Population
in 2025 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Bristol | 1,818 | 0.9% |
| Elkhart | 54,092 | 25.9% |
| Goshen | 34,525 | 16.5% |
| Middlebury | 3,752 | 1.8% |
| Millersburg | 971 | 0.5% |
| Nappanee | 6,572 | 3.1%* |
| Wakarusa | 2,005 | 1.0% |
| * This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
