Best counties to live in Indiana

Written by:
June 17, 2021
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Best counties to live in Indiana

What makes a particular county the best? Oftentimes, it's a good mix of opportunities for fun outdoor activities and cultural attractions. Throw in some historical sites, good schools, job opportunities, and affordable housing, and the county will most likely have happy residents.

Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to live in Indiana using rankings from Niche. Niche ranks counties by a variety of factors including: public schools, educational attainment, cost of living, and housing.

Many counties on the list are experiencing growth due to their job opportunities, education, or home values. Others are adored for their historic or well-designed value, or devotion to cultural opportunities. Keep reading to see if your county made the list.

#25. Posey County

- Population: 25,560
- Median home value: $144,200 (82% own)
- Median rent: $688 (18% rent)
- Median household income: $64,196
- Top public schools: Marrs Elementary School (A), South Terrace Elementary School (A), Farmersville Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: St. Philip School (unavailable), St. Wendel School (unavailable), St. Matthew Elementary School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Mount Vernon (B), Bethel Township (A), Center Township (A)

#24. Montgomery County

- Population: 38,287
- Median home value: $125,700 (72% own)
- Median rent: $684 (28% rent)
- Median household income: $55,522
- Top public schools: Ladoga Elementary School (A), Southmont Junior High School (A), Walnut Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools:
- Top places to live: Crawfordsville (B), Brown Township (B+), Union Township (B+)

#23. Tipton County

- Population: 15,162
- Median home value: $116,000 (82% own)
- Median rent: $798 (18% rent)
- Median household income: $58,118
- Top public schools: Tipton Elementary School (B+), Tipton Middle School (B), Tri Central Middle/High School (B)
- Top private schools: St. John the Baptist School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Tipton (B), Prairie Township (A), Jefferson Township (B+)

#22. Vigo County

- Population: 107,459
- Median home value: $97,500 (62% own)
- Median rent: $746 (38% rent)
- Median household income: $45,230
- Top public schools: Riley Elementary School (B+), Fayette Elementary School (B+), Dixie Bee Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: St. Patrick Elementary School (unavailable), Holy Cross School (unavailable), Learning Tree Montessori School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Terre Haute (B), North Terre Haute (B), West Terre Haute (C)

#21. Kosciusko County

- Population: 79,035
- Median home value: $150,000 (75% own)
- Median rent: $788 (25% rent)
- Median household income: $61,366
- Top public schools: Edgewood Middle School (A), Eisenhower Elementary School (B+), Warsaw Community High School (B+)
- Top private schools: Lakeland Christian Academy (A), Sacred Heart Elementary School (unavailable), Warsaw Christian School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Winona Lake (A), Warsaw (A), Syracuse (B)

#20. Delaware County

- Population: 115,020
- Median home value: $93,600 (63% own)
- Median rent: $727 (37% rent)
- Median household income: $43,512
- Top public schools: Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities (A+), Burris Laboratory School (A), Royerton Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Heritage Hall Christian School (B), St. Mary School (unavailable), St. Lawrence Elementary School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Yorktown (A), Muncie (B), Daleville (B)

#19. Hancock County

- Population: 75,164
- Median home value: $169,300 (79% own)
- Median rent: $895 (21% rent)
- Median household income: $74,072
- Top public schools: Eastern Hancock Middle School (A), McCordsville Elementary School (A), Mt. Comfort Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: St. Michael's Catholic School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: McCordsville (A), New Palestine (B+), Fortville (B+)

#18. Howard County

- Population: 82,331
- Median home value: $109,500 (70% own)
- Median rent: $700 (30% rent)
- Median household income: $52,373
- Top public schools: Western Middle School (A), Northwestern Senior High School (A), Western Intermediate School (A)
- Top private schools: Sts. Joan of Arc & Patrick School (unavailable), Redeemer Lutheran School (unavailable), Acacia Academy (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Greentown (B), Kokomo (B), Harrison Township (A)

#17. Elkhart County

- Population: 204,558
- Median home value: $144,300 (70% own)
- Median rent: $810 (30% rent)
- Median household income: $57,021
- Top public schools: Wakarusa Elementary School (A), North Wood Middle School (A), Nappanee Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Elkhart Christian Academy (A), Bethany Christian Schools (B+), Clinton Christian School (B)
- Top places to live: Goshen (A), Dunlap (B+), Middlebury (B+)

#16. Vanderburgh County

- Population: 181,291
- Median home value: $129,000 (65% own)
- Median rent: $789 (35% rent)
- Median household income: $49,708
- Top public schools: Signature School (A+), North High School (B+), Oak Hill Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: Evansville Day School (A), Reitz Memorial High School (A), Mater Dei High School (A)
- Top places to live: Melody Hill (A), Darmstadt (B+), Highland (B+)

#15. Lake County

- Population: 485,707
- Median home value: $149,500 (70% own)
- Median rent: $886 (30% rent)
- Median household income: $56,128
- Top public schools: Munster High School (A+), Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School (A), Frank H. Hammond Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Andrean High School (A), Bishop Noll Institute (A), Illiana Christian High School (B+)
- Top places to live: Munster (A+), Schererville (A), Crown Point (A)

#14. Warrick County

- Population: 62,280
- Median home value: $168,200 (79% own)
- Median rent: $865 (21% rent)
- Median household income: $73,482
- Top public schools: Sharon Elementary School (A), Castle South Middle School (A), Castle North Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: St. John the Baptist School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Newburgh (A), Boonville (B+), Chandler (B)

#13. Porter County

- Population: 168,636
- Median home value: $185,400 (75% own)
- Median rent: $933 (25% rent)
- Median household income: $71,152
- Top public schools: Morgan Township Elementary School (A), Northview Elementary School (A), Discovery Charter School (A)
- Top private schools: Victory Christian Academy (A), Portage Christian School (B), St. Paul Catholic School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Valparaiso (A), Porter (A), Ogden Dunes (A)

#12. Dubois County

- Population: 42,543
- Median home value: $156,500 (78% own)
- Median rent: $660 (22% rent)
- Median household income: $60,666
- Top public schools: Ferdinand Elementary School (A), Cedar Crest Intermediate School (A), Ireland Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Precious Blood School (unavailable), Holy Family School (unavailable), Academy of Learning - Jasper (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Jasper (A), Huntingburg (B), Boone Township (A)

#11. Marion County

- Population: 951,869
- Median home value: $136,700 (54% own)
- Median rent: $889 (46% rent)
- Median household income: $48,316
- Top public schools: Herron High School (A+), Paramount Schools of Excellence - Brookside (A), Speedway Junior High School (A)
- Top private schools: Park Tudor School (A+), International School of Indiana (A+), Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School (A+)
- Top places to live: Meridian Hills (A+), Broad Ripple (A+), Delaware Trails (A+)

#10. Floyd County

- Population: 77,320
- Median home value: $171,400 (73% own)
- Median rent: $796 (27% rent)
- Median household income: $64,468
- Top public schools: Floyd Central High School (A), Greenville Elementary School (A), Floyds Knobs Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Christian Academy of Indiana (A), Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (unavailable), Holy Family School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Georgetown (A), New Albany (A), Galena (B)

#9. Johnson County

- Population: 153,716
- Median home value: $164,600 (73% own)
- Median rent: $955 (27% rent)
- Median household income: $72,440
- Top public schools: Center Grove Middle School Central (A), Center Grove Elementary School (A), Sugar Grove Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Greenwood Christian Academy (B), Ss. Francis & Clare Catholic School (unavailable), Our Lady of Greenwood School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Bargersville (A), Greenwood (A), New Whiteland (A)

#8. Bartholomew County

- Population: 82,481
- Median home value: $153,500 (71% own)
- Median rent: $937 (29% rent)
- Median household income: $63,431
- Top public schools: Columbus North High School (A), Columbus Signature Academy (CSA) - Lincoln Campus (A), Columbus East High School (A)
- Top private schools: Columbus Christian School (B), St. Peter's Lutheran School (unavailable), St. Bartholomew School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Columbus (A), Harrison Township (A), German Township (A)

#7. St. Joseph County

- Population: 270,216
- Median home value: $129,000 (68% own)
- Median rent: $793 (32% rent)
- Median household income: $52,769
- Top public schools: Northpoint Elementary School (A), Prairie Vista Elementary School (A), Discovery Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: Trinity School at Greenlawn (A+), Saint Joseph High School (A), Marian High School (A)
- Top places to live: Granger (A+), Osceola (A), Mishawaka (A)

#6. Allen County

- Population: 372,575
- Median home value: $129,300 (68% own)
- Median rent: $773 (32% rent)
- Median household income: $54,857
- Top public schools: Homestead Senior High School (A), Woodside Middle School (A), Oak View Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Canterbury School (A+), Concordia Lutheran High School (A), Bishop Dwenger High School (A)
- Top places to live: Huntertown (A), Fort Wayne (A), Leo-Cedarville (B+)

#5. Tippecanoe County

- Population: 191,553
- Median home value: $153,000 (55% own)
- Median rent: $851 (45% rent)
- Median household income: $53,130
- Top public schools: West Lafayette Junior/Senior High School (A+), West Lafayette Elementary School (A+), West Lafayette Intermediate School (A+)
- Top private schools: Faith Christian School (A), Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School (A), Lafayette Christian School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: West Lafayette (A), Battle Ground (A), Lafayette (A)

#4. Hendricks County

- Population: 163,799
- Median home value: $191,700 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,076 (22% rent)
- Median household income: $81,933
- Top public schools: Brownsburg West Middle School (A+), Reagan Elementary School (A+), Brownsburg East Middle School (A+)
- Top private schools: Bethesda Christian Schools (B), Kingsway Christian School (unavailable), St. Malachy Catholic School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Avon (A), Brownsburg (A), Plainfield (A)

#3. Boone County

- Population: 65,544
- Median home value: $233,700 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,011 (23% rent)
- Median household income: $83,077
- Top public schools: Zionsville Community High School (A+), Boone Meadow (A+), Zionsville Middle School (A+)
- Top private schools: Traders Point Christian Schools (B+), James E. Davis School (A), Children's Learning Program (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Zionsville (A+), Whitestown (A+), Lebanon (B+)

#2. Monroe County

- Population: 146,461
- Median home value: $175,600 (56% own)
- Median rent: $920 (44% rent)
- Median household income: $49,839
- Top public schools: Bloomington High School South (A+), Childs Elementary School (A), University Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Lighthouse Christian Academy (A), Harmony School (A), St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Bloomington (A), Ellettsville (A), Perry Township (A+)

#1. Hamilton County

- Population: 323,117
- Median home value: $263,300 (77% own)
- Median rent: $1,176 (23% rent)
- Median household income: $98,173
- Top public schools: Carmel High School (A+), Creekside Middle School (A+), Smoky Row Elementary School (A+)
- Top private schools: University High School of Indiana (A+), St. Theodore Guerin High School (A), Eman Schools (A)
- Top places to live: Carmel (A+), Fishers (A+), Westfield (A+)

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