Wells County, Indiana
Formed in 1837 and named for Captain William Wells, a scout for General Anthony Wayne
County Seat: Bluffton
Largest City: Bluffton (2023 population: 10,467)
Population per Square Mile: 77.57
Square Miles: 368.10
Go to county's in.gov site
Population over Time | Number | Rank in State | Percent of State | Indiana |
Yesterday (2020) | 28,180 | 57 | 0.4% | 6,484,050 |
Today (2023) | 28,555 | 56 | 0.4% | 6,862,199 |
Tomorrow (2030 projection)* | 29,242 | 56 | 0.4% | 7,013,509 |
Percent Change 2020 to Today | 1.3% | 24 | | 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 | 266 | 22 | | 4,599 |
Net International Migration | 24 | 42 | | 17,869 |
Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -33 | 44 | -0.4% | 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) | 1,776 | 52 | 6.2% | 5.9% |
School Age (5 to 17) | 5,267 | 51 | 18.4% | 17.2% |
College Age (18 to 24) | 2,165 | 56 | 7.6% | 9.6% |
Young Adult (25 to 44) | 6,951 | 55 | 24.3% | 25.8% |
Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,906 | 58 | 24.2% | 24.2% |
Seniors (65 and older) | 5,490 | 56 | 19.2% | 17.2% |
Median Age | 39.7 | | | 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 | 87 | 70 | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Asian Alone | 177 | 50 | 0.6% | 2.9% |
Black Alone | 354 | 49 | 1.2% | 10.4% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 20 | 45 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
White | 27,520 | 56 | 96.4% | 83.7% |
Two or More Race Groups | 397 | 56 | 1.4% | 2.5% |
Non-Hispanic | 27,373 | 56 | 95.9% | 91.2% |
Hispanic | 1,182 | 47 | 4.1% | 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) | 11,155 | 55 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Married With Children | 2,411 | 49 | 21.6% | 18.1% |
Married Without Children | 3,751 | 55 | 33.6% | 29.6% |
Single Parents | 755 | 62 | 6.8% | 9.0% |
Living Alone | 3,258 | 52 | 29.2% | 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) | 12,155 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Total Housing Units in 2022 (includes vacant units) | 11,961 | 58 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Owner Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 8,622 | 55 | 72.1% | 63.5% |
Median Value (2022) | $161,300 | 44 | | |
Renter Occupied (Pct. distribution based on all housing units) | 2,533 | 55 | 21.2% | 27.1% |
Median Rent (2022) | $600 | 49 | | |
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) | 5,168 | 48 | 0.5% | 1,124,877 |
Public | 5,104 | 45 | 0.5% | 1,032,265 |
Adults (25+ in 2022 ACS) | 18,997 | 58 | 0.4% | 4,532,091 |
with High School diploma or higher | 93.3% | 8 | | 90% |
with B.A. or higher degree | 19.1% | 45 | | 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 | $51,343 | 52 | 88.0% | 58,323 |
Median Household Income in 2022 | 68,879 | 28 | 103.2% | $66,768 |
Poverty Rate in 2022 | 9.1% | 79 | 72.8% | 12.5% |
Poverty Rate among Children under 18 | 12.1% | 74 | 78.6% | 15.4% |
Welfare (TANF) Monthly Average Families in 2023 | 14 | 59 | 0.3% | 4,144 |
Food Stamp Recipients in 2023 | 1,475 | 72 | 0.2% | 601,912 |
Free and Reduced Fee Lunch Recipients in 2023/2024 | 2,105 | 57 | 0.4% | 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 | 317 | 56 | 0.4% | 79,946 |
Births to Teens, 2021 | 14 | 59 | 0.4% | 3,845 |
Deaths, 2019 | 290 | 62 | 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 | 14,424 | 55 | 0.4% | 3,401,387 |
Employed | 14,036 | 54 | 0.4% | 3,288,017 |
Unemployed | 388 | 61 | 0.3% | 113,370 |
Annual Unemployment Rate | 2.7 | 76 | 81.8% | 3.3 |
September 2024 Unemployment Rate | 3.6 | 70 | 83.7% | 4.3 |
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 | 14,716 | 100.0% | $800,990 | 100.0% | $54,430 |
Wage and Salary | 11,313 | 76.9% | $554,448 | 69.2% | $49,010 |
Farm Proprietors | 497 | 3.4% | $50,033 | 6.2% | $100,670 |
Nonfarm Proprietors | 2,906 | 19.7% | $72,810 | 9.1% | $25,055 |
Farm | 642 | 4.4% | $55,366 | 6.9% | $86,240 |
Nonfarm | 14,074 | 95.6% | $745,624 | 93.1% | $52,979 |
Private | 12,706 | 86.3% | $671,151 | 83.8% | $52,822 |
Accommodation, Food Serv. | 588 | 4.0% | $12,410 | 1.5% | $21,105 |
Arts, Ent., Recreation | 88 | 0.6% | $665 | 0.1% | $7,557 |
Construction | 812 | 5.5% | $52,097 | 6.5% | $64,159 |
Health Care, Social Serv. | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
Information | 85 | 0.6% | $4,330 | 0.5% | $50,941 |
Manufacturing | 2,809 | 19.1% | $208,119 | 26.0% | $74,090 |
Professional, Tech. Serv. | 440 | 3.0% | $20,209 | 2.5% | $45,930 |
Retail Trade | 1,450 | 9.9% | $46,258 | 5.8% | $31,902 |
Trans., Warehousing | 1,506 | 10.2% | $92,628 | 11.6% | $61,506 |
Wholesale Trade | Data not available due to BEA non-disclosure requirements. |
Other Private (not above) | 2,210* | 15.0%* | $90,572* | 11.3%* | $40,983* |
Government | 1,368 | 9.3% | $74,473 | 9.3% | $54,439 |
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 | 107 | 100.0% | 100.0% | $25,704 | $7,695,489 |
Single-Family | 63 | 58.9% | 63.0% | $18,565 | $5,961,199 |
2-Family | 34 | 31.8% | 2.0% | 5,788 | $99,053 |
3- and 4-Family | 10 | 9.3% | 0.9% | $1,351 | $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 Wells County
Name | Population in 2023 | Percent of County |
---|
Bluffton | 10,467 | 36.7% |
Markle | 504 | 1.8%* |
Ossian | 3,382 | 11.8% |
Poneto | 175 | 0.6% |
Uniondale | 276 | 1.0% |
Vera Cruz | 75 | 0.3% |
Zanesville | 472 | 1.7%* |
* This place crosses county lines, so only population in this county is shown. |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates