Discover the 4 Wealthiest Counties in Indiana

If you’ve recently learned about the top wealthiest counties in the United States, you may have wondered about those that didn’t cut. Many high-earning counties are considered the wealthiest in their respective states, but they lack the numbers to outshine the wealthiest in the country. However, this doesn’t make them any less interesting to learn about! Continue reading below to learn about the financial statistics of this state as derived from Indiana’s public data research, as well as the 4 of the wealthiest counties in Indiana ranked. 

4. Porter County

Porter County is one of Indiana’s few waterfront counties, located directly on the coast of Lake Michigan. It also just so happens to be fourth among the wealthiest counties in Indiana. 

In 2022, the per capita personal income reported in Porter County was $63,557, with its median household income the year prior being $80,878. 93.9 percent of adults have a high school diploma, while 29.9 percent have a Bachelor’s degree. Tied for the two most common private sector jobs are healthcare, social services, and manufacturing.

As of 2020, the population of Porter County was 173,215, with its largest city being Portage. Notable people include Gable Steveson and Darren Elkins.

3. Hendricks County

As of the 2020 census, Hendricks County had a population of 174,788. Its largest town is Plainfield, with an estimated population of 36,074 as of 2022. First founded in 1823, this county is best known for being the second fastest-growing county in Indiana. And, although it may not rank in the top numbers for being one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, it did rank 85th in fastest-growing.

The 2022 per capita personal income for Hendricks County is $60,249. This places it around the state’s average. In 2021, however, the median household income was around $90,298. As a result, while per capita personal income may have landed Hendricks County as 10th in the state, its median household income sits at 3rd.

Only 39.2 percent of adults have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, though 93.5 percent hold at least a high school diploma. Transportation/warehousing and retail are among the most common job types within the county. For these, the average earnings per job are $54,334 and $45,267 respectively.

Notable people from Hendricks County include Mark Hampton and Forrest Tucker.

2. Boone County

Boone County is the second wealthiest county in Indiana, with its per capita personal income (2022) similar to that of the top-ranking county within this state. In 2022, the per capita personal income for Boone County was $91,419, nearly double that of the state’s average of $58,323. For 2021, its median household income was $98,047. 

In Boone County, 49.5 percent of adults have at least a Bachelor’s degree. 95 percent have at least completed high school. As of 2020, this county had a population of 70,812. Hendricks County, the number one wealthiest county in Indiana, is adjacent to Boone County. This is also one of the older counties within the state, being founded in 1830 and named for Daniel Boone. Zionsville is its largest city, home to 30,693 people in 2020. This means that Zionsville alone houses nearly half of Boone County’s population. Transportation and warehousing are the largest, private-owned industries where most people work in the state, followed by professional services and retail.

Notable people who have lived in Boone County include Bill Hodges, Nancy Noel, and Dallas Clark.

1. Hamilton County

Hamilton County ranks number one for wealthiest counties in Indiana. Established in 1823, this county is home to 347,467 people as of the 2020 census. In the same year, three of the towns within Hamilton County ranked in the top twenty largest cities.

Hamilton County ranked number one in the state for both per capita personal income (2022) and median household income (2021). These numbers were $95,757 and $108,203, respectively. 60.8 percent of adults in Hamilton County have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to the average percentage of 28.2 percent in the state of Indiana overall.

In 2008, this county was named America’s Best Place to Raise a Family by Forbes.com. Much of this is due to Hamilton County’s strong economy. Some of the most notable people to have lived in Hamilton County include Ted Allen, the members of Haste the Day, Morgan Newton, and Todd Young.

Summary of the Wealthiest Counties in Indiana

The photo featured at the top of this post is © LorenzoT81/iStock via Getty Images