Rush County, Indiana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rush County is located in Indiana with a total population of 16,739. It is the 76th most populous county out of 92 in Indiana. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rush County is 42.4 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 38.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rush County is $66,473. This is 8% lower than the state median of $71,957. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.9%. This is 4% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. The median home value is $166,800. Housing costs are 24% lower than the state median of $218,200. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Rush County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rush County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.9%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 9.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 8.6%.

Education

18.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 37% 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 91.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rush 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.