by Kristen Carney
Updated: December 17, 2024
The richest county in Indiana is Hamilton County with an average household income of $156,318 as of 2023 and 371,645 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hamilton County | 371,645 | $156,318 | $117,957 |
2 | Boone County | 76,120 | $151,849 | $104,865 |
3 | Warrick County | 65,867 | $121,754 | $95,027 |
4 | Hendricks County | 186,387 | $120,729 | $99,988 |
5 | Hancock County | 86,166 | $115,388 | $91,326 |
6 | Johnson County | 167,819 | $111,087 | $87,227 |
7 | Porter County | 175,335 | $107,336 | $85,828 |
8 | Morgan County | 73,227 | $101,705 | $79,088 |
9 | Bartholomew County | 84,003 | $101,323 | $80,365 |
10 | LaGrange County | 40,907 | $101,036 | $83,741 |
11 | Floyd County | 80,809 | $100,571 | $78,179 |
12 | Brown County | 15,653 | $96,976 | $72,644 |
13 | Dearborn County | 51,215 | $96,630 | $82,693 |
14 | Posey County | 25,040 | $95,179 | $79,124 |
15 | Union County | 6,973 | $93,659 | $79,500 |
16 | Franklin County | 23,096 | $93,222 | $79,702 |
17 | Jasper County | 33,535 | $93,064 | $79,634 |
18 | Tipton County | 15,256 | $92,887 | $78,309 |
19 | Steuben County | 34,917 | $92,694 | $71,483 |
20 | Decatur County | 26,399 | $92,391 | $74,228 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
Join thousands of subscribers and receive just 1 (ONE!) email a year in December when the US Census Bureau releases new income data for Indiana richest counties.
United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 12 December 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
© Copyright 2025 Cubit Planning, Inc.