Elkhart County, Indiana Demographics 2026

Name: Elkhart County, Indiana Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Elkhart County, Indiana has a population of 207,132, the 6th most populous county in Indiana. The median household income is $68,561 and the median home value is $210,400. The poverty rate is 12.4%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Elkhart County Quick Facts

Population 207,132

Median Household Income $68,561

Median Home Value $210,400

Poverty Rate 12.4%

Unemployment Rate 3.6%

Median Age 35.6 years

Homeownership Rate 71.6%

Affordability Ratio 3.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.1%

High School Graduation 82.2%

Cities/Places 11

Population 207,132 6th of 92

Median Income $68,561 5% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.4%

Unemployment 3.6%

How Elkhart County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	206,868	207,132	+0.1%
Median household income	$65,617	$68,561	+4.5%
Median home value	$194,400	$210,400	+8.2%

Median Household Income

Elkhart

$68,561

$71,957

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Elkhart

$210,400

$218,200

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.0%

$25K-$50K 20.8%

$50K-$100K 34.0%

$100K+ 31.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.0%

$10K-$15K

2.8%

$15K-$20K

2.8%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

3.7%

$35K-$40K

4.8%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

8.5%

$60K-$75K

10.3%

$75K-$100K

15.2%

$100K-$125K

10.5%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

7.2%

$200K+

6.6%

Employment

3.6% Unemployment Rate State: 4.3%|National: 5.2%

65.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.6%

Renter 28.4%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,047/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

27.4%

18-34

21.8%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

20.5%

75+

6.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Elkhart County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Elkhart	53,733	$51,028	18.2%	$139,500
Goshen	34,420	$59,184	17.1%	$184,900
Nappanee	6,815	$68,892	9.1%	$238,600
Dunlap	6,109	$87,039	8.4%	$222,200
Simonton Lake	4,248	$75,673	11.5%	$266,800
Middlebury	3,700	$75,236	14.6%	$243,700
Syracuse	3,233	$71,833	4.2%	$199,400
Wakarusa	2,282	$74,464	8.6%	$207,200
Bristol	2,128	$77,188	7.4%	$229,500
New Paris	1,549	$74,663	10.5%	$223,700
Millersburg	1,077	$65,833	23.1%	$186,400

Explore Indiana Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Elkhart County is located in Indiana with a total population of 207,132. It is the 6th most populous county out of 92 in Indiana. The county encompasses 11 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Elkhart County is 35.6 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 38.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Elkhart County is $68,561. This is 5% lower than the state median of $71,957. It is also 15% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.4%. This is about the same as the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $210,400. Housing costs are 4% lower than the state median of $218,200. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 71.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Elkhart County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 69.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (20.1% vs 8.6%). The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

20.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 32% lower than the state rate of 29.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Elkhart County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Indiana and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Elkhart County, Indiana?

Elkhart County has a population of 207,132, making it the 6th most populous county in Indiana.

What is the median income in Elkhart County?

The median household income in Elkhart County is $68,561 with a poverty rate of 12.4%.

How many cities are in Elkhart County, Indiana?

Elkhart County contains 11 Census-designated places.