1st Advantage MortgageThe median Elkhart County household earns $68,561, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Indiana license first.
On this page
- Elkhart County at a glance
- Housing costs in Elkhart County
- What Elkhart County households earn
- The Elkhart County job picture
- The communities that make up Elkhart County
- Elkhart County and the counties next door
- Room for a loan payment in Elkhart County
- Borrowing situations common in Elkhart County
- Who lives in Elkhart County, in numbers
- Checking a lender's license in Indiana
- Four steps for Elkhart County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Elkhart County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Elkhart County's population at 207,132; only 5 of Indiana's 92 county-level areas are larger. It covers 463 square miles of land, or about 447 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Elkhart is the biggest of its 10 Census places, at roughly 53,733 people (26% of the county total).
Housing costs in Elkhart County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,047 in Elkhart County versus $1,062 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 48% of renter households here. Home values center on $210,400, or 3.1 years of median income. 72% of Elkhart County households own their home and 28% rent. Median construction year: 1977.
| Home costs | Elkhart County | Indiana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,047/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $210,400 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.1% | 4.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 9% | n/a |
What Elkhart County households earn
The median household income in Elkhart County is $68,561; statewide it is $71,957, so Elkhart County runs 5% below Indiana as a whole. Only 45 Indiana counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Elkhart County | vs Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.8% | -0.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.0% | +3.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.7% | -1.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.5% | -1.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 31% of Elkhart County households make $100,000 or more, and 22% make less than $35,000. Census counts 12.4% of Elkhart County residents in poverty, against 12.3% across Indiana. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.437 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
The Elkhart County job picture
Manufacturing employs 35% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 19%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 35% locally and 18% for Indiana. The survey's unemployment rate for Elkhart County averages 3.6% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.3%). Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 7.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Elkhart County share | +/- vs Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 35.1% | +17.1 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.0% | -4.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.9% | -1.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.9% | -0.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.6% | -2.7 pts |
| Construction | 5.7% | -0.9 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Elkhart County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
The communities that make up Elkhart County
10 Census places fall mainly inside Elkhart County; the 10 biggest are below. They account for 116,061 residents, leaving about 44% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Dunlap has the highest median household income on the list ($87,039) and Elkhart the lowest ($51,028), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $856 in Nappanee to $1,271 in Dunlap. None of the 10 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | city | 53,733 | $51,028 | $998 | 8 mi |
| Goshen | city | 34,420 | $59,184 | $1,093 | 3 mi |
| Nappanee | city | 6,815 | $68,892 | $856 | 13 mi |
| Dunlap | CDP | 6,109 | $87,039 | $1,271 | 4 mi |
| Simonton Lake | CDP | 4,248 | $75,673 | $1,108 | 12 mi |
| Middlebury | town | 3,700 | $75,236 | $1,203 | 9 mi |
| Wakarusa | town | 2,282 | $74,464 | $955 | 9 mi |
| Bristol | town | 2,128 | $77,188 | $1,099 | 8 mi |
| New Paris | CDP | 1,549 | $74,663 | $1,061 | 7 mi |
| Millersburg | town | 1,077 | $65,833 | $1,082 | 10 mi |
Elkhart County and the counties next door
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Elkhart County's, from 22 to 28 miles away. Income ranges from $66,425 in St. Joseph County to $84,487 in LaGrange County; 4 of these neighbors top Elkhart County's median. Some neighbors are in Michigan. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Elkhart County resident follows Indiana rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart County | - | $68,561 | $1,047/mo | 72% |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 22 mi | $66,868 | $1,062/mo | 69% |
| LaGrange County, IN | 23 mi | $84,487 | $839/mo | 83% |
| Cass County, MI | 23 mi | $70,443 | $916/mo | 82% |
| Kosciusko County, IN | 25 mi | $75,317 | $1,043/mo | 77% |
| Noble County, IN | 27 mi | $71,723 | $832/mo | 77% |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 28 mi | $66,425 | $849/mo | 76% |
Room for a loan payment in Elkhart County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Elkhart County's medians:
- $5,713 a month: gross income for a household at the Elkhart County median
- Rent at the median, $1,047, takes 18% of that
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,410 a month
If your rent is above $1,047, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Borrowing situations common in Elkhart County
What the Elkhart County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Health costs. With 14% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Renters under pressure. When 48% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Who lives in Elkhart County, in numbers
20% of Elkhart County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 14.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Elkhart County | All of Indiana | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.1% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 17.8% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 14.2% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.8% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.6% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Elkhart County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 41.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.0% |
| 60+ min | 2.7% |
Checking a lender's license in Indiana
Consumer lenders serving Elkhart County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Indiana that is the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Indiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Elkhart County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Elkhart County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Verify the Indiana license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Related local guides
The Indiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Elkhart County?
$68,561 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $71,957 for Indiana. It ranks 46th of 92 in the state.
How much is rent in Elkhart County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,047 a month; 48% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Elkhart County?
By population: Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Dunlap, Simonton Lake. The county has 10 Census places in all.
Is the fit check different in Elkhart County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Elkhart County?
Start with the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.