List of counties in Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Counties of Indiana |
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| Location | State of Indiana |
| Number | 92 |
| Populations | 6,004 (Ohio) – 968,460 (Marion) |
| Areas | 86 square miles (220 km2) (Ohio) – 657 square miles (1,700 km2) (Allen) |
| Government | County government |
| Subdivisions | 1,008 Townships |
There are 92 counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. Each county serves as the local level of government within its borders. Although Indiana was organized into the United States since the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, its land was not always available for settlement. The Vincennes Tract, Clark's Grant and an area known as "The Gore" in southeastern Indiana (resulting from the Treaty of Greenville 1795) existed during the Northwest Territory. The remainder of Indiana land was acquired by Indian Removal Act and purchases by treaty between 1804 and 1840. The largest purchase (called "Delaware New Purchase" or just "New Purchase") resulted from the Treaty of St. Mary's (1818) which acquired about 1/3 of the state in the central portion. All or most of 35 counties were eventually carved from the area. The oldest counties are generally in the south near the Ohio River, whereas newer ones were in the north in territory acquired later. Many of the final counties were formed subsequent to the acquisition and break up of the Big Miami Reserve (encompassing present day Howard County and parts of surrounding counties) between 1834 and 1840. The oldest and newest counties in Indiana are Knox County, created in 1790, and Newton County, created in 1859.
As of the 2023 Census estimates, the population of Indiana was 6,862,199, the average population of Indiana's 92 counties is 74,589, with Marion County as the most populous (968,460), and Ohio County (6,004) the least. 54 counties have 30,000 or more people; 17 counties have populations exceeding 100,000, five of which exceed 250,000; and only five counties have fewer than 10,000 people. The average land area is 396 square miles (1,030 km2). The largest county is Allen (657 sq. mi., 1,702 km2) and the smallest is Ohio (86 sq. mi., 223 km2). According to the Constitution of Indiana, no county may be created of less than 400 square miles (1,000 km2), nor may any county smaller than this be further reduced in size, which precludes any new counties.
County government in Indiana consists of two bodies, the county council and the commissioners.
Many Indiana counties are named for United States Founding Fathers and personalities of the American Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and Battle of Tippecanoe; early leaders of Indiana Territory and Indiana, as well as surrounding states like Michigan and Kentucky; plus Native American tribes and geographical features.
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, which is used by the United States government to uniquely identify states and counties, is provided with each entry. Indiana's code is 18, which when combined with any county code would be written as 18XXX. The FIPS code for each county links to census data for that county.
In Indiana, the most commonly seen number associated with counties is the state county code, which is a sequential number based on the alphabetical order of the county. It has been used on automobile license plates since 1963. It first held a prominent place on the left side of the plates as part of the license plate number until the year 2008 when it was moved above the serial number and 2012 when it was moved to the lower right corner. On license plates, county codes 93, 95, and 97-99 were also used for Marion County in addition to 49. 94 and 96 were used for Lake County in addition to 45. These additional numbers ceased to be used as of 2008. In addition these codes are also used by INDOT for structure IDs on objects such as bridges and overpasses.
Counties
| County |
FIPS code | County seat | Est. | Origin | Etymology | BMV Number |
Population | Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 001 | Decatur | Feb 7, 1836 | Adams New Purchase | U.S. President John Quincy Adams | 1 | 36,288 | 339 sq mi (878 km2) |
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| Allen County | 003 | Fort Wayne | Dec 12, 1823 | Delaware New Purchase | Col. John Allen, Kentucky state senator | 2 | 394,545 | 657 sq mi (1,702 km2) |
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| Bartholomew County | 005 | Columbus | Jan 8, 1821 | Jackson County and Delaware New Purchases | Lt. Col. Joseph Bartholomew, a hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 3 | 84,003 | 407 sq mi (1,054 km2) |
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| Benton County | 007 | Fowler | Feb 18, 1840 | Jasper County | Thomas H. Benton, U.S. Senator from Missouri | 4 | 8,729 | 406 sq mi (1,052 km2) |
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| Blackford County | 009 | Hartford City | Feb 15, 1838 | Jay County | Judge Isaac Blackford, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court | 5 | 11,893 | 165 sq mi (427 km2) |
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| Boone County | 011 | Lebanon | Jan 29, 1830 | Adams and Wabash New Purchases | Frontiersman Daniel Boone | 6 | 76,120 | 423 sq mi (1,096 km2) |
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| Brown County | 013 | Nashville | Feb 3, 1836 | Bartholomew County Jackson County Monroe County |
General Jacob Brown, hero of the War of 1812 | 7 | 15,653 | 312 sq mi (808 km2) |
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| Carroll County | 015 | Delphi | Jan 17, 1828 | Adams and Wabash New Purchases | Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence | 8 | 20,525 | 372 sq mi (963 km2) |
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| Cass County | 017 | Logansport | Dec 18, 1828 | Non-county Area | Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan Territory and U.S. Secretary of State | 9 | 37,666 | 412 sq mi (1,067 km2) |
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| Clark County | 019 | Jeffersonville | Feb 3, 1801 | Knox County | General George Rogers Clark, American Revolutionary War hero | 10 | 125,467 | 373 sq mi (966 km2) |
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| Clay County | 021 | Brazil | Feb 12, 1825 | Owen County Putnam County Sullivan County Vigo County |
U.S. Speaker of the House Henry Clay | 11 | 26,460 | 358 sq mi (927 km2) |
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| Clinton County | 023 | Frankfort | Jan 29, 1830 | Adams and Wabash New Purchases | DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York | 12 | 32,730 | 405 sq mi (1,049 km2) |
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| Crawford County | 025 | English | Jan 29, 1818 | Orange County Harrison County Perry County |
Col. William Crawford, surveyor of the Midwest and hero of the Indian Wars | 13 | 10,438 | 306 sq mi (793 km2) |
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| Daviess County | 027 | Washington | Feb 2, 1818 | Knox County | Col. Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 14 | 33,656 | 429 sq mi (1,111 km2) |
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| Dearborn County | 029 | Lawrenceburg | Mar 7, 1803 | Clark County, IN; Hamilton County, OH | U.S. Secretary of War Henry Dearborn | 15 | 51,215 | 305 sq mi (790 km2) |
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| Decatur County | 031 | Greensburg | Dec 12, 1821 | Delaware New Purchase | Commodore Stephen Decatur, hero of the War of 1812 | 16 | 26,399 | 373 sq mi (966 km2) |
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| DeKalb County | 033 | Auburn | Feb 7, 1835 | Non-county Area | Johann de Kalb, German noble who trained colonial soldiers for the American Revolutionary War | 17 | 44,198 | 363 sq mi (940 km2) |
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| Delaware County | 035 | Muncie | Jan 26, 1827 | Delaware New Purchase | Delaware Native American people | 18 | 112,321 | 392 sq mi (1,015 km2) |
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| Dubois County | 037 | Jasper | Dec 20, 1817 | Perry County Pike County |
Toussaint Dubois, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 19 | 43,546 | 427 sq mi (1,106 km2) |
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| Elkhart County | 039 | Goshen | Jan 29, 1830 | Non-county Area | Disputed, but possibly the Elkhart Native American people | 20 | 206,409 | 463 sq mi (1,199 km2) |
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| Fayette County | 041 | Connersville | Jan 29, 1818 | Franklin Wayne County and Non-county Area | Marquis de la Fayette, French noble who trained colonial soldiers in the American Revolutionary War | 21 | 23,362 | 215 sq mi (557 km2) |
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| Floyd County | 043 | New Albany | Jan 2, 1819 | Clark and Harrison Counties | Either John Floyd, a War of 1812 hero and Governor of Virginia, or early settler and state legislator Davis Floyd | 22 | 80,809 | 148 sq mi (383 km2) |
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| Fountain County | 045 | Covington | Dec 20, 1825 | Montgomery County and Wabash New Purchase | Major James Fontaine, a hero of the American Revolutionary War | 23 | 16,731 | 396 sq mi (1,026 km2) |
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| Franklin County | 047 | Brookville | Feb 1, 1811 | Clark County Dearborn County Knox County |
Writer, orator, scholar, and founding father Benjamin Franklin | 24 | 23,096 | 384 sq mi (995 km2) |
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| Fulton County | 049 | Rochester | Feb 7, 1836 | Non-county Area | Robert Fulton, developer of the steamboat | 25 | 20,358 | 368 sq mi (953 km2) |
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| Gibson County | 051 | Princeton | Apr 1, 1813 | Knox County | John Gibson, secretary of the Indiana Territory | 26 | 32,904 | 487 sq mi (1,261 km2) |
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| Grant County | 053 | Marion | Feb 10, 1831 | Madison County, New Purchase and un-organized | Captains Samuel and Moses Grant, former American soldiers and early settlers | 27 | 66,200 | 414 sq mi (1,072 km2) |
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| Greene County | 055 | Bloomfield | Jan 5, 1821 | Sullivan County Non-county Area |
Gen. Nathanael Greene, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 28 | 31,196 | 543 sq mi (1,406 km2) |
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| Hamilton County | 057 | Noblesville | Jan 8, 1823 | Delaware New Purchase | Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury and founding father | 29 | 371,645 | 394 sq mi (1,020 km2) |
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| Hancock County | 059 | Greenfield | Mar 1, 1828 | Madison County | John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence | 30 | 86,166 | 306 sq mi (793 km2) |
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| Harrison County | 061 | Corydon | Dec 1, 1808 | Clark and Knox County | William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana Territory and U.S. President | 31 | 40,006 | 485 sq mi (1,256 km2) |
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| Hendricks County | 063 | Danville | Dec 20, 1823 | Delaware and Wabash New Purchase | Governor of Indiana William Hendricks | 32 | 186,387 | 407 sq mi (1,054 km2) |
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| Henry County | 065 | New Castle | Dec 31, 1821 | Delaware New Purchase | Patrick Henry, attorney, orator, and founding father | 33 | 48,929 | 392 sq mi (1,015 km2) |
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| Howard County | 067 | Kokomo | Jan 15, 1844 | un-organized | Gen. Tilghman Howard, a U.S. Representative from Indiana | 34 | 83,831 | 293 sq mi (759 km2) |
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| Huntington County | 069 | Huntington | Feb 2, 1832 | Adams New Purchase and un-organized | Samuel Huntington, signer the Declaration of Independence | 35 | 36,781 | 383 sq mi (992 km2) |
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| Jackson County | 071 | Brownstown | Jan 1, 1816 | Clark, Jefferson and Washington | U.S. President Andrew Jackson | 36 | 46,460 | 509 sq mi (1,318 km2) |
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| Jasper County | 073 | Rensselaer | Feb 7, 1835 | Wabash New Purchase | Sgt. William Jasper, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 37 | 33,535 | 560 sq mi (1,450 km2) |
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| Jay County | 075 | Portland | Feb 7, 1835 | Adams New Purchase | John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court | 38 | 20,032 | 384 sq mi (995 km2) |
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| Jefferson County | 077 | Madison | Nov 23, 1810 | Clark, Dearborn and Knox County | U.S. President Thomas Jefferson | 39 | 33,056 | 361 sq mi (935 km2) |
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| Jennings County | 079 | Vernon | Dec 27, 1816 | Jackson and Jefferson Counties | Jonathan Jennings, first Governor of Indiana | 40 | 27,622 | 377 sq mi (976 km2) |
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| Johnson County | 081 | Franklin | Dec 31, 1823 | Delaware New Purchase | John Johnson, first Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court | 41 | 167,819 | 320 sq mi (829 km2) |
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| Knox County | 083 | Vincennes | Jun 6, 1790 | Original County | U.S. Secretary of War Henry Knox | 42 | 36,070 | 516 sq mi (1,336 km2) |
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| Kosciusko County | 085 | Warsaw | Feb 7, 1835 | un-organized | Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish-born hero of the American Revolutionary War | 43 | 80,364 | 531 sq mi (1,375 km2) |
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| LaGrange County | 087 | LaGrange | Feb 2, 1832 | un-organized | The ancestral estate of the Marquis de la Fayette, the French-born hero of the American Revolutionary War | 44 | 40,907 | 380 sq mi (984 km2) |
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| Lake County | 089 | Crown Point | Jan 28, 1837 | Newton and Porter Counties | Its location on Lake Michigan | 45, 94, 96 | 500,598 | 499 sq mi (1,292 km2) |
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| LaPorte County | 091 | LaPorte | Jan 29, 1832 | St. Joseph and un-organized | Means the door in French, which refers to the city of LaPorte | 46 | 111,706 | 598 sq mi (1,549 km2) |
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| Lawrence County | 093 | Bedford | Jan 7, 1818 | Orange | Capt. James Lawrence, hero of the War of 1812 | 47 | 45,084 | 449 sq mi (1,163 km2) |
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| Madison County | 095 | Anderson | Jan 4, 1823 | Delaware New Purchase | U.S. President James Madison | 48 | 132,504 | 452 sq mi (1,171 km2) |
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| Marion County | 097 | Indianapolis | Dec 31, 1821 | Delaware New Purchase | Gen. Francis Marion, American Revolutionary War hero | 49, 93, 95, 97, 98, 99 | 968,460 | 396 sq mi (1,026 km2) |
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| Marshall County | 099 | Plymouth | Feb 7, 1835 | St. Joseph County | U.S. Chief Justice John Marshall | 50 | 46,352 | 444 sq mi (1,150 km2) |
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| Martin County | 101 | Shoals | Jan 17, 1820 | Daviess and Dubois Counties | Major John T. Martin, hero of the War of 1812 | 51 | 9,897 | 336 sq mi (870 km2) |
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| Miami County | 103 | Peru | Jan 30, 1833 | Cass County and un-organized | Miami Native American people | 52 | 35,402 | 374 sq mi (969 km2) |
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| Monroe County | 105 | Bloomington | Jan 14, 1818 | Orange County | U.S. President James Monroe | 53 | 139,342 | 395 sq mi (1,023 km2) |
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| Montgomery County | 107 | Crawfordsville | Dec 21, 1822 | Wabash New Purchase | Gen. Richard Montgomery, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 54 | 38,573 | 505 sq mi (1,308 km2) |
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| Morgan County | 109 | Martinsville | Dec 31, 1822 | Delaware and Wabash New Purchase | Gen. Daniel Morgan, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 55 | 73,227 | 404 sq mi (1,046 km2) |
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| Newton County | 111 | Kentland | Dec 8, 1859 | Jasper County | Sgt. John Newton, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 56 | 13,960 | 402 sq mi (1,041 km2) |
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| Noble County | 113 | Albion | Feb 7, 1835 | un-organized | U.S. Senator James Noble or Governor of Indiana Noah Noble, brothers | 57 | 47,430 | 411 sq mi (1,064 km2) |
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| Ohio County | 115 | Rising Sun | Jan 4, 1844 | Dearborn County | The Ohio River forms its east boundary | 58 | 6,004 | 86 sq mi (223 km2) |
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| Orange County | 117 | Paoli | Feb 1, 1816 | Gibson, Knox and Washington | Orange County, North Carolina, in turn named for the Dutch Protestant House of Orange | 59 | 19,638 | 398 sq mi (1,031 km2) |
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| Owen County | 119 | Spencer | Dec 21, 1818 | Daviess and Sullivan County | Abraham Owen, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 60 | 21,532 | 385 sq mi (997 km2) |
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| Parke County | 121 | Rockville | Jan 9, 1821 | Vigo County | Benjamin Parke, a delegate of Indiana Territory to the U.S. Congress | 61 | 16,484 | 445 sq mi (1,153 km2) |
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| Perry County | 123 | Tell City | Nov 1, 1814 | Gibson and Warrick Counties | Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, hero of the War of 1812 | 62 | 19,209 | 382 sq mi (989 km2) |
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| Pike County | 125 | Petersburg | Dec 21, 1816 | Gibson and Perry County | Zebulon M. Pike, explorer of the American West | 63 | 12,106 | 334 sq mi (865 km2) |
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| Porter County | 127 | Valparaiso | Feb 7, 1835 | un-organized | Capt. David Porter, hero of the War of 1812 | 64 | 175,335 | 418 sq mi (1,083 km2) |
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| Posey County | 129 | Mount Vernon | Nov 11, 1814 | Gibson County Warrick County | Thomas Posey, governor of Indiana Territory | 65 | 25,040 | 410 sq mi (1,062 km2) |
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| Pulaski County | 131 | Winamac | Feb 7, 1835 | un-organized | Kazimierz Pułaski, Polish-born noble who led the colonial cavalry in the American Revolutionary War | 66 | 12,385 | 434 sq mi (1,124 km2) |
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| Putnam County | 133 | Greencastle | Dec 21, 1821 | Vigo, Owen counties | Gen. Israel Putnam, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 67 | 37,567 | 481 sq mi (1,246 km2) |
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| Randolph County | 135 | Winchester | Jan 10, 1818 | Wayne County | Randolph County, North Carolina, which is named for first President of the Continental Congress Peyton Randolph | 68 | 24,216 | 452 sq mi (1,171 km2) |
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| Ripley County | 137 | Versailles | Dec 27, 1816 | Dearborn and Jefferson County | Gen. Eleazer Wheelock Ripley, hero of the War of 1812 | 69 | 29,227 | 446 sq mi (1,155 km2) |
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| Rush County | 139 | Rushville | Dec 31, 1821 | Delaware New Purchase | Benjamin Rush, signer the Declaration of Independence | 70 | 16,847 | 408 sq mi (1,057 km2) |
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| St. Joseph County | 141 | South Bend | Jan 29, 1830 | un-organized | St. Joseph River, which flows through it toward Lake Michigan | 71 | 272,848 | 458 sq mi (1,186 km2) |
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| Scott County | 143 | Scottsburg | Jan 12, 1820 | Clark, Jefferson, Jennings and Washington Counties | Charles Scott, Governor of Kentucky | 72 | 24,657 | 190 sq mi (492 km2) |
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| Shelby County | 145 | Shelbyville | Dec 31, 1821 | Delaware New Purchase | Gen. Isaac Shelby, Governor of Kentucky | 73 | 45,231 | 411 sq mi (1,064 km2) |
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| Spencer County | 147 | Rockport | Jan 10, 1818 | Perry and Warrick Counties | Capt. Spier Spencer, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 74 | 19,910 | 397 sq mi (1,028 km2) |
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| Starke County | 149 | Knox | Feb 7, 1835 | St. Joseph County and un-organized | Gen. John Stark, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 75 | 23,206 | 309 sq mi (800 km2) |
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| Steuben County | 151 | Angola | Feb 7, 1837 | un-organized | Baron Frederick von Steuben, Prussian-born noble who trained colonial soldiers during the American Revolutionary War | 76 | 34,917 | 309 sq mi (800 km2) |
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| Sullivan County | 153 | Sullivan | Dec 30, 1816 | Knox | General Daniel Sullivan, American Revolutionary War hero | 77 | 20,757 | 447 sq mi (1,158 km2) |
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| Switzerland County | 155 | Vevay | Oct 1, 1814 | Dearborn and Jefferson County | The home country of many of the early settlers, Switzerland | 78 | 10,019 | 221 sq mi (572 km2) |
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| Tippecanoe County | 157 | Lafayette | Jan 20, 1826 | Wabash New Purchase and un-organized | The Tippecanoe River and the Battle of Tippecanoe | 79 | 188,792 | 500 sq mi (1,295 km2) |
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| Tipton County | 159 | Tipton | Jan 15, 1844 | Adams New Purchase and un-organized | John Tipton, U.S. Senator | 80 | 15,256 | 261 sq mi (676 km2) |
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| Union County | 161 | Liberty | Jan 5, 1821 | Parts of Fayette, Franklin and Wayne counties | Named because it united sections of three adjacent counties into one new entity | 81 | 6,973 | 161 sq mi (417 km2) |
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| Vanderburgh County | 163 | Evansville | Jan 7, 1818 | Gibson, Posey, and Warrick Counties | Henry Vanderburgh, a judge for Indiana Territory | 82 | 179,810 | 233 sq mi (603 km2) |
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| Vermillion County | 165 | Newport | Jan 2, 1824 | Parke County and Wabash New Purchase | The Vermillion River | 83 | 15,417 | 257 sq mi (666 km2) |
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| Vigo County | 167 | Terre Haute | Jan 21, 1818 | Sullivan County | Francis Vigo, Italian-born colonial spy during the American Revolutionary War | 84 | 106,153 | 403 sq mi (1,044 km2) |
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| Wabash County | 169 | Wabash | Jan 30, 1833 | Adams New Purchase and un-organized | The Wabash River | 85 | 30,670 | 412 sq mi (1,067 km2) |
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| Warren County | 171 | Williamsport | Jan 19, 1827 | Wabash New Purchase and un-organized | Joseph Warren, American Revolutionary War hero | 86 | 8,518 | 365 sq mi (945 km2) |
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| Warrick County | 173 | Boonville | Apr 30, 1813 | Gibson and Knox Counties | Capt. Jacob Warrick, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 87 | 65,867 | 385 sq mi (997 km2) |
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| Washington County | 175 | Salem | Dec 21, 1813 | Clark, Harrison and Knox Counties | U.S. President George Washington | 88 | 28,205 | 514 sq mi (1,331 km2) |
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| Wayne County | 177 | Richmond | Nov 27, 1810 | Clark, Dearborn and Knox | Gen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne, hero of the American Revolutionary War | 89 | 66,127 | 402 sq mi (1,041 km2) |
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| Wells County | 179 | Bluffton | Feb 7, 1837 | Adams New Purchase | Capt. William A. Wells, Native American who became a hero in the War of 1812 | 90 | 28,555 | 368 sq mi (953 km2) |
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| White County | 181 | Monticello | Feb 1, 1834 | Wabash New Purchase and un-organized | Capt. Isaac White, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 91 | 24,917 | 505 sq mi (1,308 km2) |
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| Whitley County | 183 | Columbia City | Feb 7, 1835 | un-organized | Col. William Whitley, hero of the Battle of Tippecanoe | 92 | 34,742 | 336 sq mi (870 km2) |
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See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Indiana para niños
- List of cities in Indiana
- List of former United States counties § Indiana
- List of Indiana townships
- Vehicle registration plates of Indiana
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List of counties in Indiana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.