LaPorte County, Indiana
Encyclopedia
LaPorte County is a county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

 located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. As of 2010, the population was 111,467. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 is the city of La Porte. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area, Northwest Indiana
Northwest Indiana
Northwest Indiana, also known as the South Shore and The Calumet Region or simply The Region, comprises Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana. This region neighbors Lake Michigan and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...

 and Michiana
Michiana
Michiana is a region in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan centered on the city of South Bend, Indiana. The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, Indiana defines Michiana as "counties that contribute at least 500 inbound commuting workers to St. Joseph County daily." Those counties...

. The largest city is Michigan City
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....

. It is included in the Michigan City-La Porte, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

LaPorte County was formed in 1832. La porte means "the door" in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

. French travelers or explorers so named the area after discovering a natural opening in the dense forests that used to exist in this region, providing a gateway to lands further west.

Before white settlement, all of the land that forms modern-day LaPorte County, and adjacent Starke County
Starke County, Indiana
Starke County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 23,363. The county seat is Knox.-History:Starke County was created in 1835 and organized in 1850. It was named for Gen...

 to the south belonged to the Potawatomi Indian nation. These Indians were forcibly removed to Kansas by the United States government in 1838, and many died on what survivors called the Trail of Death
Potawatomi Trail of Death
The Potawatomi Trail of Death was the forced removal by United States forces from September 4 to November 4, 1838, of 859 members of the Potawatomi nation from Twin Lakes near Plymouth, Indiana, to the location of present-day Osawatomie, Kansas, a distance of . Typhoid fever and the stress of the...

.

When the county was initially proposed and organized, its boundaries did not extend as far south or east as they do today. A section of land north of the Kankakee River
Kankakee River
The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately long, in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the...

 originally belonged to Starke County. However, residents living in that area had difficulty crossing the river in order to reach the rest of the county. It was necessary to travel some distance east to Lemon's bridge, before making the journey south. Effectively isolated from the rest of Starke County, these residents asked that their land be annexed to LaPorte County, which was completed on January 28, 1842. Thereafter, the Kankakee River formed the southern boundary of the county. Finally, on January 10, 1850, some twenty sections of land were annexed from St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...

 to the east, giving LaPorte County the boundaries that essentially exist to this day.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 613.26 square miles (1,588.3 km²), of which 598.3 square miles (1,549.6 km²) (or 97.56%) is land and 14.96 square miles (38.7 km²) (or 2.44%) is water.

Adjacent counties

  • Berrien County
    Berrien County, Michigan
    Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....

    , Michigan
    Michigan
    Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

     (north)
  • St. Joseph County
    St. Joseph County, Indiana
    As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...

     (east)
  • Starke County
    Starke County, Indiana
    Starke County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 23,363. The county seat is Knox.-History:Starke County was created in 1835 and organized in 1850. It was named for Gen...

     (south)
  • Jasper County
    Jasper County, Indiana
    As of the census of 2000, there were 30,043 people, 10,686 households, and 8,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,236 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...

     (southwest)
  • Porter County
    Porter County, Indiana
    Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso...

     (west)

Railroads

  • Amtrak
    Amtrak
    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

  • Canadian National Railway
    Canadian National Railway
    The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....

  • Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
    Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
    The Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad operating of rail line in northwestern Indiana. From the town of La Crosse, lines run northwest to the Porter County town of Malden, southeast to the Starke County towns of English Lake and North Judson, and northeast through...

  • Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
    Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
    The Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad is a short line railroad offering service from Tolleston, Indiana to Crestline, Ohio, United States over the former Fort Wayne Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It began operations in 2004 as a division of the Central Railroad of Indianapolis , under...

  • Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad
    Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad
    The Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad , known to many as the South Shore Line, is a Class III freight railroad operating between Chicago, Illinois, and South Bend, Indiana...

  • CSX Transportation
    CSX Transportation
    CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...

  • Norfolk Southern Railway
    Norfolk Southern Railway
    The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...


Towns

  • Kingsbury
    Kingsbury, Indiana
    Kingsbury is a town in Washington Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, just northwest of the intersection of U.S. Route 35 and U.S. Route 6. The town was founded in 1835 and in the 1940s the Kingsbury Munitions plant was built for use during World War II where in one time it was targeted as one of...

  • Kingsford Heights
    Kingsford Heights, Indiana
    Kingsford Heights is a town in Union Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,435 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

  • LaCrosse
    LaCrosse, Indiana
    LaCrosse is a town in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 627 in 1990, 561 in 2000, and 551 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

  • Long Beach
    Long Beach, Indiana
    Long Beach is a town in Michigan Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, Long Beach population was 1,179. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

  • Michiana Shores
    Michiana Shores, Indiana
    Michiana Shores is a town in Springfield and Michigan townships, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 313 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...

  • Pottawattamie Park
    Pottawattamie Park, Indiana
    Pottawattamie Park is a town in Michigan Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 235 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

  • Trail Creek
    Trail Creek, Indiana
    Trail Creek is a town in Coolspring and Michigan townships, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,052 at the 2010 census...

  • Wanatah
    Wanatah, Indiana
    Wanatah is a town in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,048 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wanatah is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, Wanatah has a total area of .-Demographics:...

  • Westville
    Westville, Indiana
    Westville is a town in New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,853 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Michigan City, Indiana-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...


Townships

  • Cass
    Cass Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Cass Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,677.-External links:* *...

  • Center
    Center Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Center Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 24,405.-External links:* *...

  • Clinton
    Clinton Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Clinton Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,454.-External links:* *...

  • Coolspring
    Coolspring Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Coolspring Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 14,910. The unincorporated town of Waterford is located within the township.-External links:* *...

  • Dewey
    Dewey Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Dewey Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 970.-External links:* *...

  • Galena
    Galena Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Galena Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,710.-External links:* *...

  • Hanna
    Hanna Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Hanna Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 993.-External links:* *...

  • Hudson
    Hudson Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Hudson Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,909.-External links:* *...

  • Johnson
    Johnson Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Johnson Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 221.-External links:* *...

  • Kankakee
    Kankakee Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Kankakee Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,307.-External links:* *...

  • Lincoln
    Lincoln Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Lincoln Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,835.-External links:* *...


  • Michigan
    Michigan Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Michigan Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 29,326.-External links:* *...

  • New Durham
    New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    New Durham Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,095.-External links:* *...

  • Noble
    Noble Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Noble Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,563.-External links:* *...

  • Pleasant
    Pleasant Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Pleasant Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,125.-External links:* *...

  • Prairie
    Prairie Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Prairie Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 181.-External links:* *...

  • Scipio
    Scipio Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Scipio Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,269.-External links:* *...

  • Springfield
    Springfield Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Springfield Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,742. Communities in the township include the incorporated town of Michiana Shores and the unincorporated community of Springville...

  • Union
    Union Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Union Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,484.-External links:* *...

  • Washington
    Washington Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Washington Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,103.-External links:* *...

  • Wills
    Wills Township, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Wills Township is one of twenty-one townships in LaPorte County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,827.-External links:* *...



Unincorporated communities

  • Alida
    Alida, Indiana
    Alida is an unincorporated community in Clinton Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, USA....

  • Birchim
    Birchim, Indiana
    Birchim is an unincorporated community in Galena Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Byron
    Byron, Indiana
    Byron is an unincorporated community in Kankakee Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Door Village
    Door Village, Indiana
    Door Village is an unincorporated town in Scipio Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:Door Village is located along the ancient Sauk Trail at ....

  • Duneland Beach
    Duneland Beach, Indiana
    Duneland Beach is an unincorporated community in Michigan Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-External links:*...

  • Fish Lake
    Fish Lake, Indiana
    Fish Lake is an unincorporated town in Lincoln Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, located where Indiana Route 4 passes between Upper Fish Lake and Lower Fish Lake. These lakes feed the Wabash River....

  • Hanna
    Hanna, Indiana
    Hanna is an unincorporated town in Hanna Township, LaPorte County, Indiana. It had a population of 463 at the 2010 census....

  • Hesston
    Hesston, Indiana
    Hesston is an unincorporated community in Galena Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.The is located just west of Hesston....

  • Holmesville
    Holmesville, Indiana
    Holmesville is an unincorporated community in New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Hudson Lake
    Hudson Lake, Indiana
    Hudson Lake is an unincorporated town in Hudson Township, LaPorte County, Indiana. The town sits on the dividing line between Central and Eastern time zones. It is the site of the Hudson Lake station stop of the South Shore Line....


  • Lake Park
    Lake Park, Indiana
    Lake Park is an unincorporated town in Hudson Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Mill Creek
    Mill Creek, Indiana
    Mill Creek is an unincorporated community in northern Lincoln Township, LaPorte County, Indiana, United States. It lies along CR875E east of the city of La Porte, the county seat of LaPorte County. Although Mill Creek is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 46365...

  • Otis
    Otis, Indiana
    Otis is an unincorporated town in New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-History:Settled in 1851, the town was christened Salem Crossing by the Michigan Southern Railroad along whose tracks the community grew...

  • Pinhook
    Pinhook, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Pinhook is an unincorporated town in New Durham Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Pinola
    Pinola, Indiana
    Pinola is an unincorporated town in Scipio Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Plainfield
    Plainfield, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Plainfield is an unincorporated community in Olive Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:Plainfield is located in St. Joseph, Indiana .Olive Township is located in St. Joseph,Indiana...

  • Riverside
    Riverside, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Riverside is an unincorporated community in Dewey Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Rolling Prairie
    Rolling Prairie, Indiana
    Rolling Prairie is an unincorporated town in Kankakee Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-History:The first cabin was built here in 1831 by Ezekiel Provolt. More settlers arrived, built cabins and named the settlement Nauvoo. On November 26, 1853, the village was platted by W.J. Walker and named...

  • Salem Heights
    Salem Heights, Indiana
    Salem Heights is an unincorporated town in Pleasant Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Smith
    Smith, Indiana
    Smith is an unincorporated community in Galena Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....


  • South Center
    South Center, Indiana
    South Center is an unincorporated town in Union Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:South Center is located at ....

  • South Wanatah
    South Wanatah, Indiana
    South Wanatah is an unincorporated town in Cass Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:South Wanatah is located at ....

  • Springfield
    Springfield, Indiana
    Springfield is an unincorporated community in Springfield Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:Springfield is located at ....

  • Springville
    Springville, LaPorte County, Indiana
    Springville is an unincorporated town in Springfield Township in northern LaPorte County, Indiana, at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and Indiana Route 39, less than one mile north of the LaPorte exit on the Indiana Toll Road. It took its name from a large spring that formerly flowed near the...

  • Stillwell
    Stillwell, Indiana
    Stillwell is an unincorporated town in Pleasant Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:Stillwell is located at ....

  • Thomaston
    Thomaston, Indiana
    Thomaston is an unincorporated town in Hanna Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Tracy
    Tracy, Indiana
    Tracy is an unincorporated town in Union Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Union Mills
    Union Mills, Indiana
    Union Mills is an unincorporated town in Noble Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Geography:Union Mills is located at .It is a very small town surrounded by cornfields. There are no stores just bars....

  • Waterford
    Waterford, Indiana
    Waterford is an unincorporated town in Coolspring Township, LaPorte County, Indiana.-Notable residents and natives:*U.S. Representative John Rarick of Louisiana was born in Waterford....

  • Wellsboro
    Wellsboro, Indiana
    Wellsboro is an unincorporated town in Noble Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....

  • Wilders
    Wilders, Indiana
    Wilders is an unincorporated town in Dewey Township, LaPorte County, Indiana....



Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in LaPorte have ranged from a low of 12 °F (-11.1 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (28.9 °C) in July, although a record low of -28 °F was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.68 inches (4.3 cm) in February to 4.79 inches (12.2 cm) in June.

Education

Public schools in LaPorte County are administered by eight different districts:

Government

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana
Constitution of Indiana
There have been two Constitutions of the State of Indiana. The first constitution was created when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention on June 10, 1816 to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress had...

, and by the Indiana Code
Indiana Code
The Indiana Code is the code of laws for the US State of Indiana. The contents are the codification of the all the laws currently in effect within Indiana...

.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.

Court: The county has five elected trial court judges. They include the LaPorte Circuit Court and Superior Courts No. 1-4. The judges are elected to six-year terms on partisan ballots. Superior Courts 3 and 4 maintain small claims dockets. Decisions from any trial court may be appealed to the Indiana Court of Appeals]].

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

, coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...

, auditor, treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...

, recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...

, surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...

, and circuit court clerk
Court clerk
A court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...

. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 affiliations and to be residents of the county.

Laporte County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district
Indiana's 2nd congressional district
Indiana's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. Based in South Bend, the district is located in north-central Indiana and takes in the Indiana portion of the Michiana region...

 and in 2008 was represented by Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly
Joseph Simon "Joe" Donnelly, Sr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Donnelly announced Monday May 9 that he would run for the United States Senate seat that is held by Republican Richard Lugar.-Early life, education and career:Joe Donnelly...

 in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

. It is also part of Indiana Senate
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...

 districts 5 and 8 and Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...

 districts 9, 17 and 20.

Demographics

As of 2000, there were 110,106 people, 41,050 households, and 28,611 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 184 people per square mile (71/km²). There were 45,621 housing units at an average density of 29 persons/km² (76 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 86.26% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 10.13% African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.31% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.45% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 1.31% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

 of any race were 3.09% of the population. 25.9% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....

, 12.2% Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...

, 10.2% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, 9.0% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 and 5.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 ancestry according to the 2000 United States Census.

There were 41,050 households out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 105.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,430, and the median income for a family was $49,872. Males had a median income of $36,686 versus $23,955 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the county was $18,913. About 6.30% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under the age of 18 and 9.00% ages 65 or older.

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