Starke County, Indiana
Formed in 1850 and named after Revolutionary War General John Stark
County Seat: Knox
Largest City: Knox (2023 population: 3,599)
Population per Square Mile: 75.08
Square Miles: 309.10
Go to county's in.gov site
| Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Yesterday (2020) | 23,371 | 66 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
| Today (2023) | 23,206 | 66 | 0.3% | 6,862,199 |
| Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 22,742 | 67 | 0.3% | 7,013,509 |
| Percent Change 2020 to Today | -0.7% | 51 | | 1.1% |
*Projection based on 2020 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 | 115 | 39 | | 4,599 |
| Net International Migration | 15 | 52 | | 17,869 |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -127 | 79 | -1.7% | 7,508 |
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) | 1,271 | 66 | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 3,885 | 65 | 16.7% | 17.2% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,672 | 67 | 7.2% | 9.6% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 5,366 | 66 | 23.1% | 25.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,125 | 68 | 26.4% | 24.2% |
| Seniors (65 and older) | 4,887 | 63 | 21.1% | 17.2% |
| Median Age | 42.8 | | | 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 | 134 | 53 | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 99 | 70 | 0.4% | 2.9% |
| Black Alone | 160 | 75 | 0.7% | 10.4% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 2 | 87 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| White | 22,517 | 67 | 97.0% | 83.7% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 294 | 70 | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| Non-Hispanic | 22,187 | 67 | 95.6% | 91.2% |
| Hispanic | 1,019 | 53 | 4.4% | 8.8% |
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) | 8,647 | 67 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Married With Children | 1,516 | 67 | 17.5% | 18.1% |
| Married Without Children | 2,906 | 70 | 33.6% | 29.6% |
| Single Parents | 660 | 69 | 7.6% | 9.0% |
| Living Alone | 2,396 | 69 | 27.7% | 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 2023 (estimate) | 11,330 | 63 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 11,157 | 63 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 7,256 | 65 | 65.0% | 63.5% |
| Median Value (2022) | $145,600 | 59 | | |
Renter Occupied
(Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 1,391 | 78 | 12.5% | 27.1% |
| Median Rent (2022) | $491 | 89 | | |
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) | 3,316 | 67 | 0.3% | 1,124,094 |
| Public | 3,173 | 67 | 0.3% | 1,035,718 |
| Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 16,188 | 66 | 0.4% | 4,532,091 |
| with High School diploma or higher | 85.1% | 86 | | 90% |
| with B.A. or higher degree | 13.1% | 87 | | 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 | $41,967 | 89 | 72.0% | 58,323 |
| Median Household Income in 2022 | 58,523 | 73 | 87.7% | $66,768 |
| Poverty Rate in 2022 | 12.6% | 40 | 100.8% | 12.5% |
| Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 18.3% | 24 | 118.8% | 15.4% |
| Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2022 | 12 | 61 | 0.3% | 3,933 |
| Food Stamp Recipients in 2022 | 2,601 | 40 | 0.4% | 611,203 |
| Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2022/2023 | 1,916 | 60 | 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 | 238 | 67 | 0.3% | 79,946 |
| Births to Teens, 2021 | 12 | 64 | 0.3% | 3,845 |
| Deaths, 2019 | 284 | 64 | 0.4% | 66,005 |
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
| Labor Force, 2023 | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
|---|
| Total Resident Labor Force | 9,673 | 68 | 0.3% | 3,401,387 |
| Employed | 9,274 | 68 | 0.3% | 3,288,017 |
| Unemployed | 399 | 58 | 0.4% | 113,370 |
| Annual Unemployment Rate | 4.1 | 4 | 124.2% | 3.3 |
| August 2024 Unemployment Rate | 5.1 | 14 | 115.9% | 4.4 |
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 | 6,809 | 100.0% | $304,196 | 100.0% | $44,676 |
| Wage and Salary | 4,393 | 64.5% | $186,918 | 61.4% | $42,549 |
| Farm Proprietors | 413 | 6.1% | $26,453 | 8.7% | $64,051 |
| Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,003 | 29.4% | $44,806 | 14.7% | $22,369 |
| Farm | 470 | 6.9% | $28,692 | 9.4% | $61,047 |
| Nonfarm | 6,339 | 93.1% | $275,504 | 90.6% | $43,462 |
| Private | 5,365 | 78.8% | $225,533 | 74.1% | $42,038 |
| Accommodation, Food Serv. | 429 | 6.3% | $8,544 | 2.8% | $19,916 |
| Arts, Ent., Recreation | 83 | 1.2% | $1,154 | 0.4% | $13,904 |
| Construction | 402 | 5.9% | $18,172 | 6.0% | $45,204 |
| Health Care, Social Serv. | 506 | 7.4% | $26,892 | 8.8% | $53,146 |
| Information | 49 | 0.7% | $2,869 | 0.9% | $58,551 |
| Manufacturing | 668 | 9.8% | $44,158 | 14.5% | $66,105 |
| Professional, Tech. Serv. | 176 | 2.6% | $6,397 | 2.1% | $36,347 |
| Retail Trade | 775 | 11.4% | $23,296 | 7.7% | $30,059 |
| Trans., Warehousing | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
| Wholesale Trade | 149 | 2.2% | $8,883 | 2.9% | $59,617 |
| Other Private (not above) | 1,780* | 26.1%* | $65,780* | 21.6%* | $36,955* |
| Government | 974 | 14.3% | $49,971 | 16.4% | $51,305 |
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 | 74 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $17,151 | $7,695,489 |
| Single-Family | 68 | 91.9% | 63.0% | $16,651 | $5,961,199 |
| 2-Family | 0 | 0.0% | 2.0% | 0 | $99,053 |
| 3- and 4-Family | 6 | 8.1% | 0.9% | $500 | $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 Starke County
| Name | Population
in 2023 | Percent of County |
|---|
| Hamlet | 772 | 3.3% |
| Knox | 3,599 | 15.5% |
| North Judson | 1,813 | 7.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates
