Population 23,365 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Starke County
Household size in Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.66 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.70 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Starke County average 2.70 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in Indiana as a whole, where it has 2.54 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.56, even as the national average fell. Few Indiana counties have larger households: only five of 92.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Starke County is 41.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.5 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Starke County (9.3%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 3.2 points, 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 Starke County
Renters in Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Starke County is largely a place of homeowners: only 17.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (40.8%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.4% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Starke County: 19.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Starke County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. That is in line with the rest of Indiana. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $651 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $769 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $754 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $899 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$249 | +$384 | +$606 |
Rent in Starke County runs $899 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $249 a month from 2006–10, a 38% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 22.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the east.
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 Starke County
Bachelor's degrees in Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Starke County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 13.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Few Indiana counties have a lower share of college graduates: only five of 92.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.0% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Starke County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 8.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Starke County
| Period | Starke County | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.7 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Starke County than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 7.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Starke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starke County | 2.70 | 41.7 | 9.3% | 17.0% | 19.0% | 1974 | $899 | 13.1% | 87.7% | 3.5% |
| Marshall County | 2.63 | 41.0 | 11.2% | 23.6% | 11.3% | 1971 | $1,011 | 20.6% | 84.3% | 2.6% |
| Kosciusko County | 2.55 | 39.6 | 10.3% | 23.0% | 14.5% | 1980 | $1,056 | 25.3% | 87.3% | 2.7% |
| Whitley County | 2.48 | 41.1 | 9.4% | 18.2% | 7.3% | 1976 | $905 | 23.1% | 92.5% | 3.3% |
| Kankakee County | 2.54 | 40.0 | 13.5% | 30.1% | 9.9% | 1973 | $1,144 | 21.3% | 91.8% | 4.8% |
| Allen County | 2.59 | 37.1 | 12.3% | 31.1% | 6.7% | 1978 | $1,176 | 32.3% | 89.6% | 4.7% |
| DeKalb County | 2.62 | 39.9 | 11.9% | 17.9% | 8.9% | 1974 | $912 | 20.3% | 92.5% | 4.6% |
| Grundy County | 2.64 | 39.5 | 10.0% | 25.6% | 4.7% | 1986 | $1,242 | 23.7% | 93.7% | 4.5% |
| Paulding County | 2.49 | 41.8 | 10.7% | 19.9% | 10.5% | 1971 | $812 | 17.0% | 90.5% | 3.3% |
| Defiance County | 2.55 | 41.3 | 11.3% | 20.7% | 7.5% | 1967 | $899 | 19.5% | 92.7% | 5.3% |
| LaSalle County | 2.37 | 42.4 | 12.0% | 25.6% | 9.3% | 1966 | $1,011 | 20.5% | 92.1% | 5.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Colusa County, CA · Wayne County, KY · Wayne County, MS · Coos County, NH · Cooper County, MO · Cook County, GA · Conway County, AR · Concordia Parish, LA · Comerio Municipio, PR · Wayne County, IL
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 Starke 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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