Owen County, Indiana
Organized in 1819 and named for Battle of Tippecanoe hero Colonel Abraham Owen
County Seat: Spencer
Largest City: Spencer (2023 population: 2,464)
Population per Square Mile: 56.71
Square Miles: 385.30
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 21,321 | 68 | 0.3% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2024) | 21,851 | 68 | 0.3% | 6,924,275 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 21,307 | 68 | 0.3% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | 2.5% | 41 | | 2.0% |
*Projection based on 2020 Census population estimates.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Components of Population Change, 2023-2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Net Domestic Migration | 169 | 29 | | 4,268 |
| Net International Migration | 13 | 71 | | 30,852 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -105 | 72 | -1.1% | 9,159 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Population Estimates by Age, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 967 | 77 | 4.5% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 3,295 | 72 | 15.3% | 17.2% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,510 | 71 | 7.0% | 9.6% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 4,899 | 70 | 22.8% | 25.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,219 | 66 | 28.9% | 24.2% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 4,642 | 67 | 21.6% | 17.2% |
| Median Age | 45.4 | | | Median Age = 38.2 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Indiana Business Research Center
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2023 | Number | Rank of | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native Alone | 91 | 67 | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 118 | 65 | 0.5% | 2.9% |
| Black Alone | 168 | 74 | 0.8% | 10.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 2 | 87 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 20,814 | 68 | 96.7% | 83.7% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 339 | 63 | 1.6% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 21,171 | 68 | 98.3% | 91.2% |
| Hispanic | 361 | 78 | 1.7% | 8.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Types | Number | Rank in State | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State |
|---|
| Households in 2023 (Includes detail not shown below) | 8,598 | 68 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 1,287 | 77 | 15.0% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 3,097 | 66 | 36.0% | 29.3% |
| Single Parents | 538 | 74 | 6.3% | 8.9% |
| Living Alone | 2,470 | 67 | 28.7% | 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 2023 (estimate) | 9,992 | 67 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2023 (includes vacant units) | 9,868 | 67 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 6,951 | 66 | 70.4% | 63.9% |
| Median Value (2023) | $162,400 | 53 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,647 | 75 | 16.7% | 26.9% |
| Median Rent (2023) | $604 | 58 | | |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
| Education | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| School Enrollment (2023/2024 Total Reported) | 2,215 | 78 | 0.2% | 1,124,877 |
| Public | 2,215 | 77 | 0.2% | 1,032,265 |
| Adults (25+ in 2023 ACS) | 15,640 | 68 | 0.3% | 4,559,304 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 87% | 76 | | 90.2% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 17% | 61 | | 28.8% |
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 2023 | $51,946 | 64 | 84.8% | 61,243 |
| Median Household Income in 2023 | 62,247 | 62 | 89.6% | $69,458 |
| Poverty Rate in 2023 | 12.5% | 35 | 102.5% | 12.2% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 17.8% | 22 | 117.9% | 15.1% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2024 | 2 | 91 | 0.0% | 4,813 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2024 | 1,976 | 57 | 0.3% | 608,295 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2023/2024 | 1,258 | 73 | 0.3% | 497,203 |
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 | 219 | 72 | 0.3% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 23 | 39 | 0.6% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 256 | 67 | 0.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2024 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 10,741 | 66 | 0.3% | 3,455,992 |
| Employed | 10,297 | 66 | 0.3% | 3,310,992 |
| Unemployed | 444 | 67 | 0.3% | 145,000 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.1 | 38 | 97.6% | 4.2 |
| March 2025 Unemployment Rate | 3.7 | 19 | 108.8% | 3.4 |
Source: STATS Indiana, using data from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development
| Employment and Earnings by Industry, 2023 | Employment | Pct Dist.
in County | Earnings ($000) | Pct Dist.
In County | Avg. Earnings Per Job |
|---|
| Total by place of work | 8,676 | 100.0% | $496,569 | 100.0% | $57,235 |
| Wage and Salary | 5,947 | 68.5% | $333,726 | 67.2% | $56,117 |
| Farm Proprietors | 454 | 5.2% | $7,222 | 1.5% | $15,907 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,275 | 26.2% | $54,969 | 11.1% | $24,162 |
| Farm | 505 | 5.8% | $8,884 | 1.8% | $17,592 |
| Nonfarm | 8,171 | 94.2% | $487,685 | 98.2% | $59,685 |
| Private | 7,364 | 84.9% | $442,537 | 89.1% | $60,095 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 417 | 4.8% | $12,378 | 2.5% | $29,683 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 113 | 1.3% | $1,230 | 0.2% | $10,885 |
| Construction | 578 | 6.7% | $23,234 | 4.7% | $40,197 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 471 | 5.4% | $25,431 | 5.1% | $53,994 |
| Information | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Manufacturing | 2,761 | 31.8% | $252,290 | 50.8% | $91,376 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Retail Trade | 767 | 8.8% | $21,291 | 4.3% | $27,759 |
| Trans., Warehousing | 225 | 2.6% | $9,195 | 1.9% | $40,867 |
| Wholesale Trade | 99 | 1.1% | $5,156 | 1.0% | $52,081 |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,043* | 12.0%* | $64,036* | 12.9%* | $61,396* |
| Government | 807 | 9.3% | $45,148 | 9.1% | $55,945 |
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, 2023 | Units | Pct Dist.
in County | Pct Dist.
in State | Cost ($000) | State Cost ($000) |
|---|
| Total Permits Filed | 97 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $31,328 | $7,695,489 |
| Single-Family | 97 | 100.0% | 63.0% | $31,328 | $5,961,199 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 2.0% | 0 | $99,053 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 0.9% | $0 | $40,460 |
| 5+ Family | 0 | 0.0% | 34.2% | $0 | $1,594,777 |
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 Owen County
| Name | Population
in 2023 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Gosport | 847 | 3.9% |
| Spencer | 2,464 | 11.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
