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
median household income $53,750, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Universal
What changed most since 1990
Population392 → 173(−56%)US over the same years: +35%
White share99.5% → 95.4%(−4.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants89.8% → 81.1%(−8.7 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)0%(0)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era60%(9)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Universal, decade by decade
Universal population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
392
$42,858
$45,601
3.1%
1.3
2000
419
$65,656
$77,967
4.5%
3.5
2010
362
$62,937
$81,135
2.2%
5.4
2020
283
$59,087
$67,753
12.0%
12.0
2024
173
$53,750
$64,300
10.3%
11.1
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
