Populations in These 9 Indiana Counties Are Declining

Indiana is a state with residents who have a penchant for agriculture and sports. The state also has a few large cities, like Indianapolis. Indiana ranks 17^th in terms of state population in the country, meaning that it is on the higher end in total population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Indiana’s population was about 6,833,037 in 2022, a sizable increase from 6,785,668 in April 2020. Some areas are seeing a population decrease, though. Discover the Indiana counties where populations are declining the most.

The information contained in this article is based on the population change from the 2020 Census to the 2022 estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2023.

9. Elkhart County

Elkhart County is located in northern central Indiana, and the county line to the north is the border with Michigan. The city of Elkhart is the largest city in the county, and it is home to about 54,000 people.   

Elkhart County had a population of 207,054 people in 2020. That population decreased to 206,890 in 2022. This is a very small decrease in the total population, making it one of the slowest population losses in Indiana counties.

8. Blackford County

Blackford County is in the eastern central part of the state. Hartford City is the largest city in the county, but the city only has a population of about 6,086 people.

Blackford County started April 2020 with 12,115 people. By 2022, 11,919 people lived in the county. This was a small decrease of 196 people, a number that represents a decrease of about 1.62%. This is not a huge loss of people. Still, Blackford County is one of the Indiana counties that are losing their population even if it is at a slow rate.

7. Jay County

In 2020, Jay County had a total of 20,478 people. By 2022, 20,198 people were left in the county. That means roughly 280 people left this region to move elsewhere or were simply not replaced by the county’s birthrate. This county is located in eastern central Indiana, and it is named for John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the United States.

6. Cass County

Cass County had a population of 37,870 people starting in 2020. In July 2022, the population had contracted to 37,540. This population change represents a loss of 330 people throughout Indiana and a percentage loss of 0.87%.

Cass County is in central northern Indiana. The largest city in the region is Logansport, located at the junction of the Eel and Wabash Rivers.

5. Knox County

Knox County had 36,286 people living in the area in 2020. The latest estimates show that this county has 35,789 people. The population loss in this county was just 497 people, a drop of 1.37%.

Knox County is in southwestern Indiana along the border with Illinois. The Wabash River serves as a dividing line between Knox County and Illinois.

4. Grant County

Grant County is northeast of Indianapolis, and the largest city in the county is Marion, with a population of 28,177 people. The city is located along the Mississinewa River, a tributary of the Wabash River.

Grant County had a population of 66,661 people following the 2020 Census. According to the estimates for July 2020, the population is now about 66,022 people. That is a small loss of about 639 people.

3. St. Joseph County

In April 2020, the population of St. Joseph County was 272,914. In July 2022, the number of people living in the county was 272,234. That means the region lost 680 people since the last census. However, the true number of people that live in the region won’t be known until the next official count.  

St. Joseph County is in north central Indiana, and it is along the border with Michigan. The county contains the large city of South Bend, a city with a population of 103,353 people.

2. LaPorte County

LaPorte County had a total of 112,422 people at the time of the 2020 Census. In 2022, the estimated population in this region had decreased to 111,675. The county lost a total of 747 people in those years.

The county is directly west of St. Joseph County, and its largest city is Michigan City. The city lies on the border of Lake Michigan.

1. Marion County

Marion County is the most populous county in Indiana even though Allen County is the largest by area. This county contains the city of Indianapolis, the largest city in the state. The population in this county was 977,213 in 2020. By 2022, the estimated population in Marion County plummeted to 969,466.

While the percent change is not that significant, the overall population loss was still large. Marion County experienced the greatest loss of any of the Indiana counties with decreasing populations.

Like many other places with large cities, Marion County lost some of its population during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the population decrease has slowed and could reverse course as people return to cities for work and recreation.

Overall, the population in Indiana counties is rising. While the largest counties are losing residents, other counties are gaining them. The population change could simply reflect a sudden flight from the cities during COVID. If that’s the case, expect places like Marion County to start regaining residents in the future.

Summary of the Indiana Counties with Decreasing Populations