Elkhart County, Indiana Income Statistics
Elkhart County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Elkhart County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Elkhart County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $69,750 | $71,967 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,861 | $55,757 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.2% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.5% | 8.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Elkhart County is about 3% lower than in Indiana. Income has been growing slower in Elkhart County (4.3%/yr) than in Indiana (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Elkhart County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Indiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Elkhart County, Indiana grew by 46.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $69,750 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Elkhart County has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2018, at 6.5% lower. The gap has widened from 7.1% in 2009 to 13% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Elkhart County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 22,588 households (31.2% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 21.8% of households in Elkhart County had an income under $35,000 and 13.8% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Elkhart County has a larger share of households earning $50,000 to $74,999 (18.8% vs 15.5%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (6.5% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 3,602 | 5.0% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,004 | 2.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 4,541 | 6.3% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 5,584 | 7.7% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 9,435 | 13.0% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 13,597 | 18.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 10,958 | 15.2% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 12,642 | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 5,213 | 7.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 4,733 | 6.5% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 72,309 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 11,601 residents (7.2% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 8.3% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 13.2% of Elkhart County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 30.5% had some income but less than $25,000, and 14.1% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Elkhart County has a larger share of residents earning $35,000 to $49,999 (16.1% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (7.2% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 21,164 | 13.2% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 17,841 | 11.1% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 11,484 | 7.1% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 19,590 | 12.2% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 16,558 | 10.3% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 25,842 | 16.1% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 25,458 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 11,095 | 6.9% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 11,601 | 7.2% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 160,633 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 13.2% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Elkhart County
| Metric | Elkhart County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.528 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,504 | $65,086 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,952 | $51,220 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.5% | 21.3% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Elkhart County, it is 0.528, lower than Indiana's 0.534, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 32% more than women's income in Elkhart County, Indiana. Over a 35-year career, a 32% wage gap accumulates to roughly $509,320 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elkhart County, Indiana has narrowed from about 29% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2020, and was narrowest at 24% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,417 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Elkhart County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.1% | 10.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 3,682 people are unemployed in Elkhart County, Indiana.
The average commute time in Elkhart County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Indiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Elkhart County, Indiana has fallen from 10.9% to 3.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2023.
Elkhart County started 2.2 points above the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had dropped below it by 2014, and has not been above it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.6 points lower.
Elkhart County, IN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Elkhart County, IN is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 207,132 residents against a local median of 60,969. Elkhart County, IN's unemployment, at 3.6%, runs 28% below the 5.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Elkhart County, IN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Elkhart County, IN has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart County, IN | 207,132 | $69,750 #4/6 | 4.3%/yr #5/6 | 3.6% #2/6 | 0.528 #4/6 |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $70,806 | 5.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.526 |
| Kosciusko County, IN | 80,442 | $75,405 | 4.0%/yr | 2.8% | 0.509 |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 273,015 | $66,946 | 4.8%/yr | 5.2% | 0.541 |
| LaGrange County, IN | 40,805 | $83,276 | 5.4%/yr | 4.2% | 0.557 |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 60,969 | $67,257 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.504 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Elkhart County, Indiana has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Indiana, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Elkhart County, Indiana.
How Wealthy Is Elkhart County, Indiana?
Elkhart County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $69,750, about 3% lower than the Indiana average of $71,967.
How has median household income changed in Elkhart County, Indiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Elkhart County, Indiana rose 47%, from $47,522 to $69,750. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Indiana as a whole: +47% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Elkhart County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Elkhart County, Indiana was $66,369, up 3% from $64,158 in 2022. The Indiana median that year was $70,115.
What was the median household income in Elkhart County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Elkhart County, Indiana was $58,511. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $69,750.
What is the Gini coefficient in Elkhart County, Indiana?
The Gini coefficient in Elkhart County is 0.528. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Elkhart County, Indiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Elkhart County, Indiana has narrowed from about 29% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2020, and was narrowest at 24% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,417 since 2009.
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