United States › Indiana › Wells County COUNTY
Wells County Indiana · 28,883 residents (2025 est.) · 368 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 28,420 people, Wells County is a county in Indiana. Few US counties rank higher on income. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $197,600.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 27,600 in 2000
28,883 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 75 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K 26K 27K 28K 29K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wells County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $71,957
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,934 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,158 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 5.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.393 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Education & health services 0.8%
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$197,600
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $88,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$813
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $458 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.9% in 2000
24.4% rent
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 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 97.4%(26,884)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(397)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.2%(26,201)
Hispanic / Latino 4%(1,145)
from 8 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 19 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 87.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 77.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 28.1%(3,146)
Women 15+
Never married 20.9%(2,375)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.0% 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) 24%(295)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.3%(176)
Share of the 1,229 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to Wells County Head to head
Compare Wells County to nearby counties WELLS COUNTY VS
Adams County
Income $65,289 −9%
Home value $178,400 −10%
Population 36,650 +27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WELLS COUNTY VS
Huntington County
Income $66,301 −8%
Home value $161,600 −18%
Population 37,224 +29%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WELLS COUNTY VS
Blackford County
Income $51,326 −29%
Home value $107,500 −46%
Population 11,730 −59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WELLS COUNTY VS
Jay County
Income $54,969 −24%
Home value $117,500 −41%
Population 20,118 −30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Wells County, Indiana? Wells County, Indiana has about 28,420 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wells County, Indiana? The typical household in Wells County, Indiana earns about $71,957 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wells County, Indiana expensive? In Wells County, Indiana, the median home is worth about $197,600, and the typical rent is about $813 a month.
How educated are people in Wells County, Indiana? About 19.9% of adults age 25 and over in Wells County, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wells County, Indiana? About 7.2% of people in Wells County, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wells County, Indiana grown since 1990? Yes, Wells County, Indiana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,472 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.
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