1st Advantage MortgageIn Steuben County, Indiana, the typical household earns $74,911 a year and the typical rent is $933. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Steuben County at a glance
- Rent, home values and ownership in Steuben County
- What Steuben County households earn
- How Steuben County residents earn a living
- Steuben County towns compared
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- More Steuben County figures
- Local borrowing considerations for Steuben County
- What a median Steuben County budget can carry
- Before you sign
- Lender oversight for Steuben County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Steuben County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Steuben County's population at 34,726; only 45 of Indiana's 92 county-level areas are larger. Packed into 309 square miles, that is close to 112 residents for every square mile of land. No metropolitan area includes Steuben County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (7 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Angola, with about 9,408 residents, or 27% of the county.
Rent, home values and ownership in Steuben County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $933 in Steuben County versus $1,062 statewide. 45% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 20% spend half or more. With a median value of $216,200, a typical Steuben County house costs 2.9 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 79%.
| Home costs | Steuben County | Indiana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $933/mo | $1,062/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $216,200 | $218,200 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 71% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 20% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 13.5% | 4.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 27% | 9% | n/a |
Because most Steuben County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
What Steuben County households earn
Half of Steuben County households take in less than $74,911 a year and half take in more, 4% above the Indiana median of $71,957.
| Yearly household income | Steuben County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.6% | -3.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.1% | +3.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.8% | +1.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.5% | -1.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 33% of Steuben County households make $100,000 or more, and 20% make less than $35,000. 9.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.3%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.445 here. For a borrower in Steuben County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Steuben County residents earn a living
Manufacturing employs 29% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 19%. Compared with Indiana, the county leans toward manufacturing (29% against 18%). Averaged over the five survey years, 7.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 11% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home. Households without a car make up 5.4% of the total (6.2% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Steuben County | Gap to Indiana |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 28.9% | +10.9 pts |
| Education and health care | 19.4% | -4.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.0% | -0.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.0% | +1.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.3% | +0.7 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.3% | -0.9 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Steuben County towns compared
7 Census places fall mainly inside Steuben County; the 7 biggest are below. They account for 16,195 residents, leaving about 53% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $49,091 in Ashley to $69,761 in Hamilton. Live in one of these Steuben County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola | city | 9,408 | $64,540 | $933 | 0 mi |
| Fremont | town | 2,112 | $66,304 | $586 | 7 mi |
| Hamilton | town | 1,939 | $69,761 | $1,013 | 8 mi |
| Ashley | town | 1,230 | $49,091 | $837 | 9 mi |
| Hudson | town | 610 | $67,500 | $1,344 | 9 mi |
| Clear Lake | town | 462 | $92,292 | $1,167 | 11 mi |
| Orland | town | 434 | $57,639 | $817 | 11 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 17 to 27 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $61,048 in Williams County to $84,487 in LaGrange County; 1 of these neighbors top Steuben County's median. The list crosses into Michigan, Ohio, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steuben County | - | $74,911 | $933/mo | 79% |
| DeKalb County, IN | 17 mi | $74,331 | $861/mo | 82% |
| Branch County, MI | 19 mi | $63,724 | $959/mo | 78% |
| LaGrange County, IN | 22 mi | $84,487 | $839/mo | 83% |
| Williams County, OH | 22 mi | $61,048 | $791/mo | 76% |
| Noble County, IN | 27 mi | $71,723 | $832/mo | 77% |
| Hillsdale County, MI | 27 mi | $64,242 | $832/mo | 82% |
More Steuben County figures
Degree holders: 26% of adults over 25. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Steuben County | All of Indiana | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 | 38.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.6% | 29.5% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.5% | 9.6% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.7% | 7.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.4% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 10.7% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Steuben County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 42.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.3% |
| 60+ min | 5.8% |
Local borrowing considerations for Steuben County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Steuben County borrowers.
- Mobile home upkeep. 14% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Tight rental budgets. With 45% of Steuben County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Consolidating cards in Steuben County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
What a median Steuben County budget can carry
How much room does a median Steuben County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,243 before taxes
- Median rent: $933, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,314 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,751 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $933, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Before you sign
Steps that save money for Steuben County residents:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Steuben County.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Indiana borrowers.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Lender oversight for Steuben County
The Indiana Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Indiana license. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. See the Indiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Indiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Steuben County earn?
The median is $74,911; 33% earn $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Steuben County?
$933 a month at the median, about 15% of median household income.
Which towns does the Steuben County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 7 Census places: Angola, Fremont, Hamilton, Ashley, Hudson.
Will a Steuben County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Indiana as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Steuben County?
Start with the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.