COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Jay County

Indiana · 21,512 residents · 384 sq mi

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The short version

With 21,512 people, Jay County is a county in Indiana. The typical home is worth $31,800. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 8% of adults. Renters pay $281 a month at the median. Households here earn about 18% less than in Indiana as a whole.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.0

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 37%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

21,512

−1%vs 2000

vs 21,806 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.0

−5%vs 2000

vs 36.7 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

384 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202420K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57%(1,504)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97%(1,512)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.9%(1,689)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.4%(1,600)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.3%(1,364)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.4%(3,094)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.2%(3,053)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.9%(2,337)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.6%(2,055)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.8%(1,897)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845%(1,082)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.5%(325)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$23,705

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,700 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,331

−38%vs 2000

vs $16,686 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

9.7%

+0.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$31,800

−37%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $66,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$281

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $387 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

77.6%

−0.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 77.7% in 2000

22.4% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.9%(21,131)

Black0.2%(54)

Hispanic / Latino1.8%(390)

Asian0.3%(74)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.1%(21,316)

Black0.2%(33)

Hispanic / Latino1%(216)

Asian0.2%(53)

Other0.5%(110)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican3.7%(744)

Spaniard0.5%(94)

Puerto Rican0.2%(34)

Cuban0.1%(24)

Dominican0%(10)

South American0%(4)

Peruvian0%(4)

Asian origin

Vietnamese0%(7)

Korean0%(4)

Ancestry

German23.8%(4,808)

English11.4%(2,297)

Irish9.5%(1,918)

American8.4%(1,699)

Dutch3%(613)

Scottish2.5%(501)

Swiss1.8%(369)

Scotch-Irish1%(211)

Italian0.8%(157)

French0.5%(97)

Swedish0.4%(75)

Welsh0.3%(67)

+ 17 more ancestry groups with data

Polish0.3%(57)

Norwegian0.2%(44)

British0.2%(43)

French Canadian0.2%(41)

Subsaharan African0.2%(35)

Russian0.2%(33)

Ukrainian0.1%(23)

Canadian0.1%(21)

Czech0.1%(19)

Finnish0.1%(13)

Hungarian0.1%(13)

Latvian0.1%(12)

Serbian0%(9)

West Indian0%(9)

Belgian0%(7)

Danish0%(7)

Lithuanian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.2%

−1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

68.9%

−9.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.4%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.4 min

+31%vs 2000

vs 15.6 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married32.3%(2,577)

Married48.9%(3,901)

Widowed4.6%(370)

Divorced14.2%(1,131)

Women 15+

Never married25.4%(2,010)

Married49.1%(3,882)

Widowed10.1%(798)

Divorced15.4%(1,222)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

10.8%

−2.1 ptssince 2013

from 12.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

42.2%

−6.0 ptssince 2020

from 48.2% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

13.8%

−0.9 ptssince 2020

from 14.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

20.2%

+0.5 ptssince 2020

from 19.7% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

30.5%

+6.1 ptssince 2020

from 24.4% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.3%

−0.4 ptssince 2020

from 2.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

54.8%

−6.9 ptssince 2020

from 61.7% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

47.2%

+6.4 ptssince 2020

from 40.8% 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)16.1%(146)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)19.3%(175)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.2%(328)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War14.1%(128)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1.7%(15)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 907 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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