United States › Indiana › Universal CITY
Universal Indiana · 285 residents (2025 est.) · 0.36 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 173 people, Universal is a city in Indiana. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 10% of adults. The population has fallen 59% since 2000. The median age is 46.2, about 7 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $64,300, having risen by half since 2000. 81% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 18%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 419 in 2000
285 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
481 / sq mi
−40%since 2009
from 794 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
144 230 317 403 489 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Universal Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,750
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,930 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.332 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$64,300
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$567
−27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $425 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 85.3% in 2000
18.9% rent
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.34 people
+19%since 2009
from 1.96 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 39.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.6%(413)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95.4%(165)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 92.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 75.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 28.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
100.0%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 100.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 28.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 26.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 13.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 6.7%(1)
Share of the 15 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Universal, Indiana? Universal, Indiana has about 173 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Universal, Indiana? The typical household in Universal, Indiana earns about $53,750 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Universal, Indiana expensive? In Universal, Indiana, the median home is worth about $64,300, and the typical rent is about $567 a month.
How educated are people in Universal, Indiana? About 10.3% of adults age 25 and over in Universal, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Universal, Indiana? About 17.3% of people in Universal, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Universal, Indiana grown since 1990? Yes, Universal, Indiana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 219 residents, a change of about -56 percent over that period.
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