Delaware County, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Delaware County
U.S. county
Delaware County Building
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	1820 (created) 1827 (organized)
Seat	Muncie
Largest city	Muncie
Area
• Total	395.91 sq mi (1,025.4 km2)
• Land	392.12 sq mi (1,015.6 km2)
• Water	3.78 sq mi (9.8 km2)  0.95%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	111,903
• Estimate  (2021)	111,355
• Density	282.648/sq mi (109.1308/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	6th
Indiana county number 18

Delaware County is a county in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 111,903. The county seat is Muncie.

Delaware County is part of the Muncie, IN metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the larger Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie CSA.

History

Muncie from the northwest.

Delaware County was authorized in Jan. 1820 on New Purchase lands south of the Wabash River gained with the 1818 Treaty of St. Mary's. It encompassed the drainage basin of the White River, along which the Delaware, a Native American people had settled, and from which the County takes its name. The Delaware people were moved to lands west of the Mississippi River in the 1840s. The county was once home to Tenskwatawa ("The Prophet"), a brother of Tecumseh who instigated a major Indian uprising in 1811 culminating in the Battle of Tippecanoe. David Conner, a trader, was the first white settler, arriving in the early 1810s. After formation, numerous counties were carved from the original, and a remnant retaining the original name was organized in 1827.

Following the American Civil War the county experienced an economic boom caused by the discovery of natural gas, which spurred rapid industrial growth in the surrounding area.

The first discovery of natural gas in Indiana occurred in 1876 near Eaton. A company was drilling in search of coal, and when they had reaching a depth of six-hundred feet, there was a loud noise and foul-smelling fumes came from the well. After a brief investigation, it was decided they had breached the ceiling of Hell, and the hole was quickly filled in. In 1884, when natural gas was discovered in nearby Ohio, people recalled the incident. They returned to the spot and opened Indiana's first natural gas well. The gas was so abundant and strong that when the well was lit, the flames could be seen from Muncie.

Geography

Delaware County consists of low rolling prairie, accented by waterways. The Mississinewa River flows westward through the northern part of the county while the White River runs westward through the central part of the county, through Muncie. A large reservoir, Prairie Creek Reservoir, SE of Muncie is managed by the city. The soil is fertile. The county's high point is a hilly area in its SE corner, 4 miles (6.4 km) ESE from Prairie Creek Reservoir.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 395.91 square miles (1,025.4 km²), of which 392.12 square miles (1,015.6 km²) (or 99.04%) is land and 3.78 square miles (9.8 km²) (or 0.95%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Cities and towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Muncie have ranged from a low of 16 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.06 inches (52 mm) in January to 4.28 inches (109 mm) in June.

Demographics

2020 Census

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 111,903 people and 46,026 households in the county. The population density was 300.1 inhabitants per square mile (115.9/km²). There were 52,713 housing units at an average density of 134.4 per square mile (51.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.7% white, 7.2% African American, 0.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino and 2.4% were from two or more races.

4.8% of the population were age 5 or younger, 18.2% were under the age of 18, 64.3% were between the ages of 18 and 64, and 17.5% were age 65 or older. 48.2% were male and 51.8% were female. The average household size was 2.34. 3.4% of households had a language other than English spoken at home.

88.1% of households had a computer present and 78.3% had a broadband Internet connection. 13.1% of the population under 65 had a disability and 10.3% of that same age group had no health insurance. 58.5% of the population was in the civilian labor force. (54.8% of females) Total retail sales per capita was $12,950.

The median household income in Delaware County was $43,512 and the per capita income from May 2019 to April 2020 was $25,107. 21.5% of the population was in poverty.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 117,671 people, 46,516 households, and 27,956 families in the county. The population density was 300.1 inhabitants per square mile (115.9/km²). There were 52,357 housing units at an average density of 133.5 per square mile (51.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.1% white, 6.9% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.6% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were German, 14.2% were Irish, 10.6% were American, and 10.3% were English.

Of the 46,516 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.9% were non-families, and 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 34.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $51,394. Males had a median income of $42,346 versus $31,051 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,405. About 12.3% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Delaware (Indiana) para niños