Lake Bruce, Indiana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 163, Lake Bruce's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Lake Bruce is a small community located in Indiana. The total population is 163. It ranks as the 767th most populous out of 967 Census-designated places in Indiana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake Bruce is 58.9 years. This is 55% higher than the state median of 38.1 years. Only 4.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 17.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lake Bruce is $31,750. This is 56% lower than the state median of $71,957. It is also 61% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 23.3%. This is 89% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 42.2%. This is 885% higher than the state rate of 4.3%. 77.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lake Bruce is White (non-Hispanic), making up 76.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 17.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (17.2% vs 9.1%).

Education

19.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% lower than the state rate of 29.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Lake Bruce, Indiana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Indiana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 967 Census-designated places in Indiana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.