List of counties in Indiana

Indiana counties

See also: List of United States counties and county-equivalents

The U.S. state of Indiana has 92 counties. Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. Although Indiana was organized into the United States since the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, its land was not always available for settlement. Eventually, land was purchased from Native Americans by treaties and Indian removals. The oldest counties are generally in the south near the Ohio River, whereas newer ones were in the north in territory acquired later. The oldest and newest counties in Indiana are Knox County, created in 1790, and Newton County, created in 1859.

As of the 2000 United States Census, the population of Indiana was 6,045,485, the average population of Indiana's 92 counties is 65,712, with Marion County as the most populous (903,393), and Ohio County (5,623) the least. 54 counties have 30,000 or more people; 16 counties have populations exceeding 100,000, five of which exceed 250,000; and only five counties have fewer than 10,000 people. The average land area is 396 square miles (1,030 km²). The largest county is Allen (657 sq. mi., 1,702 km²) and the smallest is Ohio (87 sq. mi., 225 km²). According to the Constitution of Indiana, no county may be created of less than 400 square miles (1,000 km²), nor may any county smaller than this be further reduced in size.

County government in Indiana consists of two bodies, the county council and the commissioners. Government of Indiana#County government

Many Indiana counties are named for United States Founding Fathers and personalities of the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and Battle of Tippecanoe; early leaders of Indiana Territory and Indiana, as well as surrounding states like Michigan and Kentucky; plus Native American tribes and geographical features.

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. Indiana's code is 18, which when combined with any county code would be written as 18XXX. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.

List of counties

County	FIPS code	County seat	Established	Origin	Etymology	Population	Area	Map
Adams County	001	Decatur	01836-02-07February 7, 1836	Adams New Purchase	U.S. President John Quincy Adams	700433625000000000033,625	7002339000000000000339 sq mi (7002878000000000000878 km2)
Allen County	003	Fort Wayne	01823-12-12December 12, 1823	Delaware New Purchase	Col. John Allen, Kentucky state senator	7005355329000000000355,329	7002657000000000000657 sq mi (70031702000000000001,702 km2)
Bartholomew County	005	Columbus	01821-01-08January 8, 1821	Jackson County and Delaware New Purchases	Lt. Col. Joseph Bartholomew, a hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700471435000000000071,435	7002407000000000000407 sq mi (70031054000000000001,054 km2)
Benton County	007	Fowler	01840-02-18February 18, 1840	Jasper County	Thomas H. Benton, U.S. Senator from Missouri	70038854000000000008,854	7002406000000000000406 sq mi (70031052000000000001,052 km2)
Blackford County	009	Hartford City	01838-02-15February 15, 1838	Jay County	Judge Isaac Blackford, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court	700414048000000000014,048	7002165000000000000165 sq mi (7002427000000000000427 km2)
Boone County	011	Lebanon	01830-01-29January 29, 1830	Adams and Wabash New Purchases	Frontiersman Daniel Boone	700456640000000000056,640	7002423000000000000423 sq mi (70031096000000000001,096 km2)
Brown County	013	Nashville	01836-02-03February 3, 1836	Bartholomew County Jackson County Monroe County	General Jacob Brown, hero of the War of 1812	700414957000000000014,957	7002312000000000000312 sq mi (7002808000000000000808 km2)
Carroll County	015	Delphi	01828-01-17January 17, 1828	Adams and Wabash New Purchases	Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence	700420165000000000020,165	7002372000000000000372 sq mi (7002963000000000000963 km2)
Cass County	017	Logansport	01828-12-18December 18, 1828	Non-county Area	Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan Territory and U.S. Secretary of State	700440930000000000040,930	7002413000000000000413 sq mi (70031070000000000001,070 km2)
Clark County	019	Jeffersonville	01801-02-03February 3, 1801	Knox County	General George Rogers Clark, American Revolutionary War hero	700496472000000000096,472	7002375000000000000375 sq mi (7002971000000000000971 km2)
Clay County	021	Brazil	01825-02-12February 12, 1825	Owen County Putnam County Sullivan County Vigo County	U.S. Speaker of the House Henry Clay	700426556000000000026,556	7002358000000000000358 sq mi (7002927000000000000927 km2)
Clinton County	023	Frankfort	01830-01-29January 29, 1830	Adams and Wabash New Purchases	DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York	700433866000000000033,866	7002405000000000000405 sq mi (70031049000000000001,049 km2)
Crawford County	025	English	01818-01-29January 29, 1818	Orange County Harrison County Perry County	Col. William Crawford, surveyor of the Midwest and hero of the Indian Wars	700410743000000000010,743	7002306000000000000306 sq mi (7002793000000000000793 km2)
Daviess County	027	Washington	01818-02-02February 2, 1818	Knox County	Col. Joseph H. Daviess, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700430820000000000030,820	7002431000000000000431 sq mi (70031116000000000001,116 km2)
Dearborn County	029	Lawrenceburg	01803-03-07March 7, 1803	Clark County, IN; Hamilton County, OH	U.S. Secretary of War Henry Dearborn	700450047000000000050,047	7002305000000000000305 sq mi (7002790000000000000790 km2)
Decatur County	031	Greensburg	01821-12-12December 12, 1821	Delaware New Purchase	Commodore Stephen Decatur, hero of the War of 1812	700424555000000000024,555	7002373000000000000373 sq mi (7002966000000000000966 km2)
DeKalb County	033	Auburn	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Non-county Area	Johann de Kalb, German noble who trained colonial soldiers for the American Revolutionary War	700440285000000000040,285	7002363000000000000363 sq mi (7002940000000000000940 km2)
Delaware County	035	Muncie	01827-01-26January 26, 1827	Delaware New Purchase	Delaware Native American people	7005118769000000000118,769	7002393000000000000393 sq mi (70031018000000000001,018 km2)
Dubois County	037	Jasper	01817-12-20December 20, 1817	Perry County Pike County	Toussaint Dubois, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700439674000000000039,674	7002430000000000000430 sq mi (70031114000000000001,114 km2)
Elkhart County	039	Goshen	01830-01-29January 29, 1830	Non-county Area	Disputed, but possibly the Elkhart Native American people	7005182791000000000182,791	7002464000000000000464 sq mi (70031202000000000001,202 km2)
Fayette County	041	Connersville	01818-01-29January 29, 1818	Franklin Wayne County and Non-county Area	Marquis de la Fayette, French noble who trained colonial soldiers in the American Revolutionary War	700425588000000000025,588	7002215000000000000215 sq mi (7002557000000000000557 km2)
Floyd County	043	New Albany	01819-01-02January 2, 1819	Clark and Harrison Counties	Col. Either John Floyd, a War of 1812 hero and Governor of Virginia, or early settler and state legislator Davis Floyd	700478823000000000078,823	7002148000000000000148 sq mi (7002383000000000000383 km2)
Fountain County	045	Covington	01825-12-20December 20, 1825	Montgomery County and Wabash New Purchase	Major James Fontaine, a hero of the American Revolutionary War	700417954000000000017,954	7002396000000000000396 sq mi (70031026000000000001,026 km2)
Franklin County	047	Brookville	01811-02-01February 1, 1811	Clark County Dearborn County Knox County	Writer, orator, scholar, and founding father Benjamin Franklin	700422151000000000022,151	7002386000000000000386 sq mi (70031000000000000001,000 km2)
Fulton County	049	Rochester	01836-02-07February 7, 1836	Non-county Area	Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat	700420511000000000020,511	7002368000000000000368 sq mi (7002953000000000000953 km2)
Gibson County	051	Princeton	01813-04-01April 1, 1813	Knox County	John Gibson, secretary of the Indiana Territory	700433503000000000033,503	7002526000000000000526 sq mi (70031362000000000001,362 km2)
Grant County	053	Marion	01831-02-10February 10, 1831	Formed from Madison County, Adams New Purchase and un-organized	Captains Samuel and Moses Grant, former American soldiers and early settlers	700470061000000000070,061	7002414000000000000414 sq mi (70031072000000000001,072 km2)
Greene County	055	Bloomfield	01821-01-05January 5, 1821	Sullivan County Non-county Area	Gen. Nathanael Greene, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700432157000000000032,157	7002522000000000000522 sq mi (70031352000000000001,352 km2)
Hamilton County	057	Noblesville	01823-01-08January 8, 1823	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury and founding father	7005274569000000000274,569	7002388000000000000388 sq mi (70031005000000000001,005 km2)
Hancock County	059	Greenfield	01828-03-01March 1, 1828	Formed from Madison County	John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence	700470002000000000070,002	7002306000000000000306 sq mi (7002793000000000000793 km2)
Harrison County	061	Corydon	01808-12-01December 1, 1808	Formed from Clark and Knox County	William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana Territory and U.S. President	700434325000000000034,325	7002485000000000000485 sq mi (70031256000000000001,256 km2)
Hendricks County	063	Danville	01824-12-20December 20, 1824	Formed from Delaware and Wabash New Purchase	Governor of Indiana William Hendricks	7005145488000000000145,488	7002408000000000000408 sq mi (70031057000000000001,057 km2)
Henry County	065	New Castle	01821-12-31December 31, 1821	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	Patrick Henry, attorney, orator, and founding father	700448508000000000048,508	7002393000000000000393 sq mi (70031018000000000001,018 km2)
Howard County	067	Kokomo	01844-01-15January 15, 1844	Formed from un-organized	Gen. Tilghman Howard, a U.S. Representative from Indiana	700484964000000000084,964	7002293000000000000293 sq mi (7002759000000000000759 km2)
Huntington County	069	Huntington	01832-02-02February 2, 1832	Formed from Adams New Purchase and un-organized	Samuel Huntington, signer the Declaration of Independence	700438075000000000038,075	7002383000000000000383 sq mi (7002992000000000000992 km2)
Jackson County	071	Brownstown	01816-01-01January 1, 1816	Formed from Clark, Jefferson and Washington	U.S. President Andrew Jackson	700441335000000000041,335	7002509000000000000509 sq mi (70031318000000000001,318 km2)
Jasper County	073	Rensselaer	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from Wabash New Purchase	Sgt. William Jasper, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700430043000000000030,043	7002560000000000000560 sq mi (70031450000000000001,450 km2)
Jay County	075	Portland	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from Adams New Purchase	John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court	700421806000000000021,806	7002384000000000000384 sq mi (7002995000000000000995 km2)
Jefferson County	077	Madison	01810-11-23November 23, 1810	Formed from Clark, Dearborn and Knox County	U.S. President Thomas Jefferson	700431705000000000031,705	7002361000000000000361 sq mi (7002935000000000000935 km2)
Jennings County	079	Vernon	01816-12-27December 27, 1816	Formed from Jackson and Jefferson Counties	Jonathan Jennings, the first Governor of Indiana	700427554000000000027,554	7002377000000000000377 sq mi (7002976000000000000976 km2)
Johnson County	081	Franklin	01823-12-31December 31, 1823	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	John Johnson, first Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court	7005139654000000000139,654	7002320000000000000320 sq mi (7002829000000000000829 km2)
Knox County	083	Vincennes	01790-06-06June 6, 1790	Original County	U.S. Secretary of War Henry Knox	700439256000000000039,256	7002516000000000000516 sq mi (70031336000000000001,336 km2)
Kosciusko County	085	Warsaw	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from un-organized	Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish-born hero of the American Revolutionary War and leader of a Polish nationalistic revolt against Russia	700474057000000000074,057	7002538000000000000538 sq mi (70031393000000000001,393 km2)
LaGrange County	087	LaGrange	01832-02-02February 2, 1832	Formed from un-organized	The ancestral estate of the Marquis de la Fayette, the French-born hero of the American Revolutionary War	700434909000000000034,909	7002387000000000000387 sq mi (70031002000000000001,002 km2)
Lake County	089	Crown Point	01837-01-28January 28, 1837	Formed from Newton and Porter Counties	Its location on Lake Michigan	7005496004000000000496,004	7002380000000000000380 sq mi (7002984000000000000984 km2)
LaPorte County	091	LaPorte	01832-01-29January 29, 1832	Formed from St. Joseph and un-organized	Means the door in French, which refers to the city of LaPorte	7005111467000000000111,467	7002613000000000000613 sq mi (70031588000000000001,588 km2)
Lawrence County	093	Bedford	01818-01-07January 7, 1818	Formed from Orange	Capt. James Lawrence, hero of the War of 1812	700445922000000000045,922	7002449000000000000449 sq mi (70031163000000000001,163 km2)
Madison County	095	Anderson	01823-01-04January 4, 1823	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	U.S. President James Madison	7005133358000000000133,358	7002452000000000000452 sq mi (70031171000000000001,171 km2)
Marion County	097	Indianapolis	01821-12-31December 31, 1821	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	Gen. Francis Marion, American Revolutionary War hero	7005903393000000000903,393	7002396000000000000396 sq mi (70031026000000000001,026 km2)
Marshall County	099	Plymouth	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from St. Joseph County	U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall	700445128000000000045,128	7002444000000000000444 sq mi (70031150000000000001,150 km2)
Martin County	101	Shoals	01820-01-17January 17, 1820	Formed from Daviess and Dubois Counties	Major John T. Martin, hero of the War of 1812	700410369000000000010,369	7002336000000000000336 sq mi (7002870000000000000870 km2)
Miami County	103	Peru	01833-01-30January 30, 1833	Formed from Cass County and un-organized	Miami Native American people	700436082000000000036,082	7002376000000000000376 sq mi (7002974000000000000974 km2)
Monroe County	105	Bloomington	01818-01-14January 14, 1818	Formed from Orange County	U.S. President James Monroe	7005137974000000000137,974	7002394000000000000394 sq mi (70031020000000000001,020 km2)
Montgomery County	107	Crawfordsville	01822-12-21December 21, 1822	Formed from Wabash New Purchase	Gen. Richard Montgomery, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700437629000000000037,629	7002505000000000000505 sq mi (70031308000000000001,308 km2)
Morgan County	109	Martinsville	01822-12-31December 31, 1822	Formed from Delaware and Wabash New Purchase	Gen. Daniel Morgan, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700468894000000000068,894	7002406000000000000406 sq mi (70031052000000000001,052 km2)
Newton County	111	Kentland	01859-12-08December 8, 1859	Formed from Jasper County	Sgt. John Newton, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700414566000000000014,566	7002402000000000000402 sq mi (70031041000000000001,041 km2)
Noble County	113	Albion	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from un-organized	U.S. Senator James Noble or Governor of Indiana Noah Noble, brothers	700446275000000000046,275	7002411000000000000411 sq mi (70031064000000000001,064 km2)
Ohio County	115	Rising Sun	01844-01-04January 4, 1844	Formed from Dearborn County	The Ohio River	70036128000000000006,128	700187000000000000087 sq mi (7002225000000000000225 km2)
Orange County	117	Paoli	01816-02-01February 1, 1816	Formed from Gibson, Knox and Washington	Orange County, North Carolina, in turn named for the Dutch Protestant House of Orange	700419306000000000019,306	7002400000000000000400 sq mi (70031036000000000001,036 km2)
Owen County	119	Spencer	01818-12-21December 21, 1818	Formed from Daviess and Sullivan County	Abraham Owen, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700421786000000000021,786	7002385000000000000385 sq mi (7002997000000000000997 km2)
Parke County	121	Rockville	01821-01-09January 9, 1821	Formed from Vigo County	Benjamin Parke, a delegate of Indiana Territory to the U.S. Congress	700417241000000000017,241	7002445000000000000445 sq mi (70031153000000000001,153 km2)
Perry County	123	Tell City	01814-11-01November 1, 1814	Formed from Gibson and Warrick Counties	Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, hero of the War of 1812	700418899000000000018,899	7002381000000000000381 sq mi (7002987000000000000987 km2)
Pike County	125	Petersburg	01816-12-21December 21, 1816	Formed from Gibson and Perry County	Zebulon M. Pike, explorer of the American West	700412837000000000012,837	7002336000000000000336 sq mi (7002870000000000000870 km2)
Porter County	127	Valparaiso	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from un-organized	Capt. David Porter, hero of the War of 1812	7005146798000000000146,798	7002418000000000000418 sq mi (70031083000000000001,083 km2)
Posey County	129	Mount Vernon	01814-11-11November 11, 1814	Formed from Warrick County	Thomas Posey, governor of Indiana Territory	700427061000000000027,061	7002408000000000000408 sq mi (70031057000000000001,057 km2)
Pulaski County	131	Winamac	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from un-organized	Kazimierz Pułaski, Polish-born noble who led the colonial cavalry in the American Revolutionary War	700413755000000000013,755	7002434000000000000434 sq mi (70031124000000000001,124 km2)
Putnam County	133	Greencastle	01822-12-31December 31, 1822	Formed from Owen County and Wabash New Purchase	Gen. Israel Putnam, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700436019000000000036,019	7002480000000000000480 sq mi (70031243000000000001,243 km2)
Randolph County	135	Winchester	01818-01-10January 10, 1818	Formed from Wayne County	Randolph County, North Carolina, which is itself named for first President of the Continental Congress Peyton Randolph	700427401000000000027,401	7002453000000000000453 sq mi (70031173000000000001,173 km2)
Ripley County	137	Versailles	01816-12-27December 27, 1816	Formed from Dearborn and Jefferson County	Gen. Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, hero of the War of 1812	700426523000000000026,523	7002446000000000000446 sq mi (70031155000000000001,155 km2)
Rush County	139	Rushville	01821-12-31December 31, 1821	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer the Declaration of Independence	700418261000000000018,261	7002408000000000000408 sq mi (70031057000000000001,057 km2)
St. Joseph County	141	South Bend	01830-01-29January 29, 1830	Formed from un-organized	St. Joseph River, which flows through it toward Lake Michigan	7005266931000000000266,931	7002457000000000000457 sq mi (70031184000000000001,184 km2)
Scott County	143	Scottsburg	01820-01-12January 12, 1820	Formed from Clark, Jefferson, Jennings and Washington Counties	Charles Scott, Governor of Kentucky	700422960000000000022,960	7002190000000000000190 sq mi (7002492000000000000492 km2)
Shelby County	145	Shelbyville	01821-12-31December 31, 1821	Formed from Delaware New Purchase	Gen. Isaac Shelby, Governor of Kentucky	700444436000000000044,436	7002413000000000000413 sq mi (70031070000000000001,070 km2)
Spencer County	147	Rockport	01818-01-10January 10, 1818	Formed from Perry and Warrick Counties	Capt. Spier Spencer, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700420391000000000020,391	7002399000000000000399 sq mi (70031033000000000001,033 km2)
Starke County	149	Knox	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from St. Joseph County and un-organized	Gen. John Stark, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700423556000000000023,556	7002309000000000000309 sq mi (7002800000000000000800 km2)
Steuben County	151	Angola	01837-02-07February 7, 1837	Formed from un-organized	Baron Frederick von Steuben, Prussian-born noble who trained colonial soldiers during the American Revolutionary War	700433214000000000033,214	7002309000000000000309 sq mi (7002800000000000000800 km2)
Sullivan County	153	Sullivan	01816-12-30December 30, 1816	Formed from Knox	General Daniel Sullivan, American Revolutionary War hero	700421751000000000021,751	7002447000000000000447 sq mi (70031158000000000001,158 km2)
Switzerland County	155	Vevay	01814-10-01October 1, 1814	Formed from Dearborn and Jefferson County	The home country of many of the early settlers, Switzerland	700410613000000000010,613	7002221000000000000221 sq mi (7002572000000000000572 km2)
Tippecanoe County	157	Lafayette	01826-01-20January 20, 1826	Formed from Wabash New Purchase and un-organized	The Tippecanoe River and the Battle of Tippecanoe	7005172780000000000172,780	7002500000000000000500 sq mi (70031295000000000001,295 km2)
Tipton County	159	Tipton	01844-01-15January 15, 1844	Formed from Adams New Purchase and un-organized	John Tipton, U.S. Senator	700416577000000000016,577	7002260000000000000260 sq mi (7002673000000000000673 km2)
Union County	161	Liberty	01821-01-05January 5, 1821	Parts of Fayette, Franklin and Wayne counties	Named because it united sections of three adjacent counties into one new entity	70037516000000000007,516	7002162000000000000162 sq mi (7002420000000000000420 km2)
Vanderburgh County	163	Evansville	01818-01-07January 7, 1818	Gibson, Posey, and Warrick Counties	Henry Vanderburgh, a judge for Indiana Territory	7005188922000000000188,922	7002235000000000000235 sq mi (7002609000000000000609 km2)
Vermillion County	165	Newport	01824-01-02January 2, 1824	Formed from Parke County and Wasbash New Purchase	The Vermillion River	700416788000000000016,788	7002257000000000000257 sq mi (7002666000000000000666 km2)
Vigo County	167	Terre Haute	01818-01-21January 21, 1818	Formed from Sullivan County	Francis Vigo, Italian-born colonial spy during the American Revolutionary War	7005105848000000000105,848	7002403000000000000403 sq mi (70031044000000000001,044 km2)
Wabash County	169	Wabash	01833-01-30January 30, 1833	Formed from Adams New Purchase and un-organized	The Wabash River	700434960000000000034,960	7002413000000000000413 sq mi (70031070000000000001,070 km2)
Warren County	171	Williamsport	01827-01-19January 19, 1827	Formed from Wabash New Purchase and un-organized	Dr. Joseph Warren, American Revolutionary War hero	70038508000000000008,508	7002365000000000000365 sq mi (7002945000000000000945 km2)
Warrick County	173	Boonville	01813-04-30April 30, 1813	Gibson and Knox Counties	Capt. Jacob Warrick, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700460010000000000060,010	7002384000000000000384 sq mi (7002995000000000000995 km2)
Washington County	175	Salem	01813-12-21December 21, 1813	Clark, Harrison and Knox Counties	U.S. President George Washington	700427223000000000027,223	7002514000000000000514 sq mi (70031331000000000001,331 km2)
Wayne County	177	Richmond	01810-11-27November 27, 1810	Formed from Clark, Dearborn and Knox	Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne, hero of the American Revolutionary War	700471097000000000071,097	7002404000000000000404 sq mi (70031046000000000001,046 km2)
Wells County	179	Bluffton	01837-02-07February 7, 1837	Formed from Adams New Purchase	Capt. William A. Wells, Native American who became a hero in the War of 1812	700427600000000000027,600	7002370000000000000370 sq mi (7002958000000000000958 km2)
White County	181	Monticello	01834-02-01February 1, 1834	Formed from Wabash New Purchase and un-organized	Capt. Isaac White, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700425267000000000025,267	7002505000000000000505 sq mi (70031308000000000001,308 km2)
Whitley County	183	Columbia City	01835-02-07February 7, 1835	Formed from un-organized	Col. William Whitley, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe	700430707000000000030,707	7002336000000000000336 sq mi (7002870000000000000870 km2)

See also

• List of cities in Indiana
• List of Indiana townships

References

Sources

• Funk, Arville (1969, revised 1983). A Sketchbook of Indiana History. Rochester, Indiana: Christian Book Press. pp. 192–194. 

External links

• Association of Indiana Counties
• Census 2000 Gazetteer
• National Association of Counties