Population 11,950 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Blackford County
Household size in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Blackford County are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.41, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Indiana county has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.9 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 44.9, Blackford County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Indiana's 92 counties, only five are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Blackford County (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Blackford County
Renters in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.9% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.1% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Blackford County own their homes; 26.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.2 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Blackford County as nationally: 10.6%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Blackford County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center. Few Indiana counties have older homes: only six of 92.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $527 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $631 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $652 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $757 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$230 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Blackford County pays $757 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $230 a month since 2006–10, up 44%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Blackford County
Bachelor's degrees in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Blackford County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.8 points, in line with the national trend. Blackford County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Indiana counties.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.4% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.6% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.4% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Blackford County have finished high school as nationally: 90.4%, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.0 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Blackford County
| Period | Blackford County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.0 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Blackford County than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 9.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Blackford County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackford County | 2.28 | 44.9 | 9.8% | 26.1% | 10.6% | 1958 | $757 | 15.2% | 90.4% | 3.7% |
| Grant County | 2.30 | 40.4 | 13.9% | 27.3% | 11.1% | 1963 | $926 | 21.8% | 89.5% | 6.6% |
| Jay County | 2.60 | 39.0 | 11.8% | 20.1% | 12.6% | 1959 | $781 | 13.0% | 85.5% | 4.2% |
| Tipton County | 2.42 | 45.6 | 10.3% | 18.6% | 9.9% | 1963 | $861 | 24.2% | 90.9% | 2.6% |
| Mercer County | 2.62 | 40.2 | 7.9% | 20.4% | 9.8% | 1972 | $825 | 22.4% | 95.1% | 1.5% |
| Howard County | 2.35 | 40.6 | 13.4% | 29.4% | 11.0% | 1968 | $948 | 20.3% | 91.3% | 5.7% |
| Auglaize County | 2.44 | 41.8 | 9.6% | 21.9% | 6.5% | 1967 | $946 | 22.2% | 95.0% | 2.8% |
| Shelby County | 2.54 | 40.4 | 9.8% | 26.3% | 6.6% | 1973 | $944 | 21.4% | 91.7% | 3.9% |
| Carroll County | 2.57 | 42.6 | 8.2% | 17.8% | 13.6% | 1964 | $900 | 17.2% | 89.0% | 3.5% |
| Tippecanoe County | 2.32 | 33.8 | 9.6% | 46.6% | 12.5% | 1984 | $1,199 | 43.5% | 88.2% | 3.3% |
| Logan County | 2.39 | 42.2 | 11.5% | 22.4% | 14.3% | 1971 | $802 | 18.6% | 92.6% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Bamberg County, SC · Appling County, GA · Washington County, AL · Washburn County, WI · Franklin County, ID · Arroyo Municipio, PR · Fremont County, ID · Gates County, NC · Atchison County, MO · Vernon County, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Blackford County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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