Roachdale, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roachdale, Indiana
Town
Location of Roachdale in Putnam County, Indiana.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Putnam
Township	Franklin, Jackson
Area
• Total	0.51 sq mi (1.31 km2)
• Land	0.51 sq mi (1.31 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	850 ft (260 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	840
• Density	1,656.80/sq mi (640.07/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	46172
Area code(s)	765
FIPS code	18-64980
GNIS feature ID	2396883

Roachdale is a small town located in Putnam County, Indiana, in the United States. It is part of both Franklin and Jackson townships. In 2020, about 840 people lived there.

History of Roachdale

Roachdale was officially planned out in 1879. It was named after Judge Roach, who worked for the railroad. A post office opened in Roachdale in 1880. The town became an official town in 1882. This happened when the railroad lines reached that area.

Geography of Roachdale

Roachdale covers a total area of about 0.51 square miles (1.31 square kilometers). All of this area is land. There are no large bodies of water within the town limits.

Population and People

Roachdale's Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 926 people living in Roachdale. These people lived in 356 households. About 240 of these households were families. The town had a population density of about 1,815 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Roachdale were White (99.2%). A small number (0.8%) were from two or more races. About 0.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Families

Out of the 356 households, about 40.7% had children under 18 living with them. Nearly half (46.6%) were married couples living together. Some households (14.6%) had a female head without a husband. About 6.2% had a male head without a wife. Roughly 32.6% of households were not families.

About 26.7% of all households were single individuals. Around 14% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone. The average household had 2.60 people. The average family had 3.16 people.

Age Groups

The average age of people in Roachdale was 35.6 years old. Almost 30% (29.3%) of residents were under 18. About 8.3% were between 18 and 24 years old. People aged 25 to 44 made up 23.3% of the population. Those aged 45 to 64 were 25.9%. Finally, 13.3% of residents were 65 years or older. The town had a nearly equal number of males (49.7%) and females (50.3%).

Education in Roachdale

Roachdale has its own public library. It is called the Roachdale-Franklin Township Public Library. This library lends out books and other materials to the community.

Fun Arts and Culture

Roachdale has a unique and fun tradition. Since 1981, the town has held annual "roach races." This started as a fun idea for the Fourth of July carnival. To make sure the roaches are big enough, they are brought in from special labs in South Carolina.

How the Roach Races Work

Contestants place their racing roaches inside a plastic container. This container sits on an oval track. The track is on a large piece of plywood. When the race begins, the container is lifted. The first roach to reach the edge of the board wins that race.

Roach Races in the Media

These races became very popular. They were even shown on TV shows. They appeared on a regional show called Across Indiana. They also appeared on the national show Good Morning America. The Indianapolis Star newspaper wrote about the races. Even Ripley's Believe It or Not! featured them!

Dressing Up the Roaches

Many people like to dress up their roaches for the race. They might glue tiny paper top hats or saddles onto their backs. It adds to the fun and excitement of the event. After the races, the roaches are collected.

See also

In Spanish: Roachdale (Indiana) para niños