What’s happening: Data from the
U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 county-level population estimates indicate that 10 of northeast Indiana’s 11 counties saw population growth between 2023 and 2024. The region of northeast Indiana is comprised of Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley counties.
Steuben was the only county to decrease in 2024, but according to the report, its population loss was estimated at 14 individuals.
Rachel Blakeman, director of Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute, says in a news release that this data reverses a population loss trend experienced by Huntington, Kosciusko, and Wabash between 2022 and 2023.
What they’re saying: “In a time where population growth is no longer a given, northeast Indiana’s population growth is a bright spot. Statewide data continue to demonstrate how growth begets growth in population centers that offer a mix of quality of place and quality of life assets. One item to notice in the years ahead is the expected increase in deaths outpacing births, especially in rural counties. We can expect to see this disparity grow in the next decade or two.” -Rachel Blakeman, director of Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute
In the data: The
Community Research Institute points to numerous data points of interest in their news release.
- Allen County’s population increased by 4,164 people, which equates to a 1.1% annual increase and the eighth-highest statewide. The estimated population is now 399,295 in Allen, which maintains its rank as the third-largest county in Indiana by population.
- Allen County has seen a 3.6% population increase over the last four years. In the same period, the state as a whole saw a 2% in population growth.
- All 11 counties reported positive international migration numbers.
- Between 2020 and 2024, Huntington, Steuben, and Wabash had more deaths than births between 2020 and 2024, which means they lost population.
- Adams, LaGrange, and Steuben had negative net domestic migration, which means more people moved to another location in the United States than the number of individuals who moved to those counties.
- Across Indiana, more than 2/3 of counties had deaths outpace births.
Why it matters: As Blakeman points out, the region’s growth could indicate that efforts to address quality of place and life are working and therefore attracting new residents to the area and enticing current residents to stay.
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