City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Elkhart, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Elkhart - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

53,726
Residents
$47,885
Median income
$126,900
Median home
$1,183
Median rent (state)

Elkhart - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Elkhart lands in the 16th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

16th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
35th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Elkhart, IN

Indiana's Elkhart is a small city, with 53,726 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Elkhart brings in $47,885 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.2%. Typical homes in Elkhart are valued around $126,900, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. About 17.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 182 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 304% from five years earlier. Elkhart's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3594.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: the state registers 93.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,183 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Indiana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Elkhart workers runs 17.6 minutes, with 75.9% driving alone and 2.6% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 83.7 out of 100 (High).

Population

53,726 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$47,885 /yr

Poverty 16.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Elkhart compare to other US cities?

Here's how Elkhart stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 16% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 35% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Indiana alone, Elkhart ranks #106 of 109 Indiana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Elkhart's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Indiana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

16thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

16th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Elkhart's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Elkhart's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Elkhart's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Elkhart's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$126,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Elkhart $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Elkhart, IN Elkhart, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Elkhart, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Elkhart, IN median $47,885/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Elkhart, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Elkhart, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
53,726
Median Income
$47,885
Median Home Value
$126,900
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
16.2%
Labor force participation
60.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3594.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
995.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2599.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
30
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
53,400 residents53,600 residents53,800 residents54,000 residents54,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 53,854 residents 54,092 residents ▲ +0.4%
Elkhart's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
182
housing units authorized
Single-Family
42
detached homes
Multifamily
140
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 45
2020 138
2021 123
2022 27
2023 39
2024 182

Permit volume increased 304% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.6 minutes
Drive Alone
75.9%
Carpool
16.8%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
2.6%
Other
1.1%

Based on 24,272 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Elkhart sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,183/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Anderson
54,930 people
Westfield
51,109 people
Columbus
51,104 people
Mishawaka
50,907 people
Jeffersonville
50,176 people
Lawrence
49,284 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Elkhart's 53,726 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Diamond Bar, CA
53,750 people
Aspen Hill, MD
53,752 people
Huntington Park, CA
53,658 people
Colton, CA
53,798 people
Spring Hill, TN
53,585 people
Logan, UT
53,923 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Elkhart's $47,885 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Chanute, KS
$47,885 median income
Newberry, SC
$47,885 median income
Oak Grove, KY
$47,886 median income
Butler, AL
$47,880 median income
Littleton, NH
$47,879 median income
Johnsonville, SC
$47,891 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Elkhart, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Elkhart, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.5% 12.3% 15.2% 9.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 27.4% White 62.5% Black or African American 12.3% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 15.2% Two or more races 9.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Elkhart compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Elkhart (this city) 53,726 $47,885
Anderson 54,930 $47,221
Westfield 51,109 $119,598
Columbus 51,104 $76,856
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Elkhart, IN?

What is the population of Elkhart, IN? +

The population of Elkhart, IN stands at 53,726 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Elkhart, IN? +

The median household income in Elkhart is $47,885 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Elkhart? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Elkhart; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

Is Elkhart, IN safe? +

Elkhart has a total crime rate of 3594.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Elkhart, IN? +

A typical home in Elkhart is worth $126,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.