Jasper, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids

Jasper, Indiana

Dubois County Courthouse

Flag	Seal
Logo

Motto(s):

"The Nation's Wood Capital"

Location of Jasper in Dubois County, Indiana.

Bainbridge, Boone, Madison

Founded

1818

Area

• Total

13.34 sq mi (34.55 km²)

• Land

13.25 sq mi (34.32 km²)

• Water

0.09 sq mi (0.23 km²)

Elevation

466 ft (142 m)

Population

• Total

16,703

• Density

1,260.51/sq mi (486.68/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP codes

47546, 47547, 47549

Area code

812 & 930

FIPS code

18-37782

GNIS feature ID

2395458

Jasper is a city in Dubois County, Indiana, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's the main town where the county government offices are located. Jasper is situated along the Patoka River. In 2020, about 16,703 people lived there, making it the 48th largest city in Indiana.

The area around Jasper is mostly used for farming. Jasper is also home to the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. This special place honors baseball players and others connected to the sport who were born or lived in Indiana.

History of Jasper

Jasper was started in 1818 by the Enlow family, who were the first settlers. The town was almost named "Eleanor" after Joseph Enlow's wife. But she decided to name it herself, choosing "Jasper" from a passage in the Bible (Revelation 21:19).

Jasper was officially mapped out in 1830. That same year, it became the new county seat for Dubois County, taking over from a town called Portersville.

Post Office and Murals

The Jasper post office has been open since 1832. During the New Deal era, a time when the government created programs to help people, an artist named Jessie Hull Mayer painted a special mural for the post office. This painting, called Indiana Farming Scene in Late Autumn, shows a farm harvest. In 1975, the painting was even featured in a film about Indiana's post office murals.

Jasper officially became a town in 1866 and then a city in 1915.

Where is Jasper Located?

According to the 2010 census, Jasper covers about 13.19 square miles (34.16 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The city is part of three different townships: Bainbridge, Madison, and Boone.

Jasper's Climate

Jasper has a climate with hot, humid summers and generally cool winters. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.

Climate data for Jasper, IN
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	37.1 (2.8)	41.9 (5.5)	53.3 (11.8)	65.0 (18.3)	74.2 (23.4)	83.2 (28.4)	86.5 (30.3)	85.4 (29.7)	79.5 (26.4)	67.9 (19.9)	54.0 (12.2)	40.5 (4.7)	64.0 (17.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	79.5 (26.4)	67.9 (19.9)	54.0 (12.2)	40.5 (4.7)	—
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	20.6 (−6.3)	24.0 (−4.4)	32.9 (0.5)	43.3 (6.3)	52.6 (11.4)	62.4 (16.9)	65.6 (18.7)	63.2 (17.3)	55.0 (12.8)	43.9 (6.6)	34.5 (1.4)	24.0 (−4.4)	43.5 (6.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.8 (71)	2.5 (64)	3.6 (91)	4.1 (100)	5.1 (130)	4.3 (110)	4.3 (110)	3.1 (79)	3.2 (81)	3.5 (89)	4.1 (100)	3.3 (84)	43.9 (1,109)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	5 (13)	3 (7.6)	2 (5.1)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	3 (7.6)	13 (33.3)
Average precipitation days	8	8	10	10	11	10	8	7	7	8	9	9	105
Average snowy days	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8
Source: bestplaces.net

People of Jasper

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	547	—
1880	1,040	90.1%
1890	1,281	23.2%
1900	1,863	45.4%
1910	2,196	17.9%
1920	2,539	15.6%
1930	3,905	53.8%
1940	5,041	29.1%
1950	5,215	3.5%
1960	6,737	29.2%
1970	8,641	28.3%
1980	9,097	5.3%
1990	10,030	10.3%
2000	12,100	20.6%
2010	15,038	24.3%
2020	16,703	11.1%
Source: US Census Bureau

Jasper is the main city in the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes Dubois and Pike counties and had a total population of 54,734 in 2010.

Population and Households

In 2010, Jasper had 15,038 people and 5,994 households. The population was almost evenly split between males (49.2%) and females (50.8%).

Diverse Backgrounds

The people living in Jasper come from different backgrounds:

93.6% were white.
7.7% identified as Hispanic (which can be of any race).
0.4% were African American.
0.9% were Asian.
0.2% were Native American.
4.0% were from other races.
0.9% were from two or more races.

Age Groups in Jasper

Here's a look at the different age groups in Jasper:

14.0% were 0–9 years old.
12.9% were 10–19 years old.
12.1% were 20–29 years old.
11.9% were 30–39 years old.
14.4% were 40–49 years old.
13.6% were 50–59 years old.
9.1% were 60–69 years old.
6.1% were 70–79 years old.
5.4% were 80 or older.

The average age in Jasper was 39.3 years. For males, it was 36.9 years, and for females, it was 41.6 years.

Income in Jasper

The average household income in Jasper was $53,968. For families, the average income was $65,903.

About 7.6% of all people in Jasper lived below the poverty line. This included 8.2% of those under 18 and 3.9% of those aged 65 and older.

Jasper's Economy

Jasper is an important center for business in Southwestern Indiana. Many people in Jasper have German Catholic family roots. The city is known as the "Wood Capital of the World." This is because many furniture companies, like Jasper Group, Kimball International, and Masterbrand Cabinets, are located here.

Other important businesses and organizations in Jasper include Southern Indiana Education Center, Jasper Engines and Transmissions, and a branch campus of Vincennes University.

In 2022, Jasper won the "Strongest Town" competition held by Strong Towns, an organization that promotes strong local communities.

The biggest job areas in Jasper are manufacturing (making things), retail (stores), and health care and social services.

Arts and Culture in Jasper

Jasper is special because it has the only city-supported Arts Council in Indiana. This council is part of the city government. The City of Jasper and the Jasper Community Arts Commission have won awards for their support of the arts in 1987 and 2007.

Jasper Strassenfest

The Jasper Strassenfest is a fun, four-day event held every year during the first weekend in August. This festival celebrates the friendship between Jasper and its German sister-city, Pfaffenweiler. Some people from Pfaffenweiler even travel to Jasper for the festival!

The street festival takes over the city square. It has food stands, rides, a beer garden, a parade, fireworks, a golf tournament, and a beauty pageant. There are also German "Polka Masses" at the three Roman Catholic churches. People eat a lot of bratwurst during the event, often over 1,300 pounds (590 kg)!

In 2021, the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center and a public library opened, adding more cultural spaces to the city.

Historic Places to Visit

St. Joseph Catholic Church

Several places in Jasper are listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Dubois County, Indiana. This means they are important historical sites. They include:

Dubois County Courthouse
Gramelspacher-Gutzweiler House
John Opel House
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Louis H. Sturm Hardware Store

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Splash fountain at Central Green Park

Jasper has 18 city parks, covering about 355 acres (144 hectares). These parks offer lots of space for outdoor activities and fun.

Education in Jasper

Jasper High School

In 1970, the school system from a nearby town called Ireland, Indiana, joined with Jasper's schools.

Here are the schools in Jasper:

Jasper High School (public, for grades 9 to 12)
Jasper Middle School (public, for grades 6 to 8)
Ireland Elementary School (public, for pre-kindergarten to grade 5)
Jasper Elementary School (public, for pre-kindergarten to grade 5)
Holy Trinity Catholic School (private, with different campuses for different grades)
- West Campus at St. Mary's Ireland (private, pre-kindergarten)
- Central Campus at Precious Blood (private, pre-kindergarten to grade 2)
- East Campus at Holy Family (private, grades 3 to 8)
Vincennes University (Jasper Campus) - a college branch

Media and News

Newspapers

Jasper has had several newspapers over the years:

The American Eagle was Jasper's first newspaper, running from 1846 to 1848.
Other early newspapers included The Democrat (1857) and two different newspapers named the Times (1865 and 1879–1891).
The Jasper Weekly Courier was a newspaper for Dubois County from 1858 to 1921.
The Dubois County Herald, started in 1895, prints about 10,000 copies daily. It goes to homes in Dubois, Spencer, and Pike counties. It's one of only about 300 independently owned newspapers in the U.S.
The Jasper News Journal is a free newspaper.

Radio Stations

You can listen to these radio stations licensed in Jasper:

91.7 FM WJPR
93.7 FM WJWS "The Curve"
104.7 FM WITZ-FM
990 AM WITZ-AM

Transportation in Jasper

Major Highways

Several important highways pass through or near Jasper:

U.S. Route 231
Indiana State Road 164
Indiana State Road 162
Indiana State Road 56

Famous People from Jasper

Many notable people have come from Jasper, including:

Mike Braun, a U.S. Senator.
Daniel M. Buechlein, a former Roman Catholic Archbishop.
Brad Ellsworth, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Spike Gehlhausen, an Indy car driver.
Paul Hoffman, a famous basketball player who won an NBA Rookie of the Year award and an NBA Championship.
Shane Lindauer, a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.
Matt Mauck, a National Football League quarterback who led the LSU Tigers to a national championship.
Mark Messmer, a member of the Indiana State Senate.
Scott Rolen, a Major League Baseball player.
Bernard V. Vonderschmitt, who helped start Xilinx, a company that makes important computer parts.

Sister City Connection

Jasper is part of the sister cities program, which connects cities around the world. Jasper's sister city is Pfaffenweiler, a village in Germany. This connection helps people from both places learn about each other's cultures.

Images for kids

Dubois County Courthouse
Flag of Jasper, Indiana
Seal of Jasper, Indiana
Logo of Jasper, Indiana