St. Joseph County, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Joseph County
U.S. county
Old St. Joseph County courthouse in South Bend, Indiana
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	1830
Named for	St. Joseph River
Seat	South Bend
Largest city	South Bend
Area
• Total	461.38 sq mi (1,195.0 km2)
• Land	457.85 sq mi (1,185.8 km2)
• Water	3.54 sq mi (9.2 km2)  0.77%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	272,912
• Estimate  (2023)	272,848
• Density	591.512/sq mi (228.3842/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Indiana county number 71 Fifth-most populous county in Indiana as of 2010

St. Joseph County is a county located in the state of Indiana, USA. People who live there often call it St. Joe County. In 2020, about 272,912 people lived here. This makes it the fifth-biggest county in Indiana by population.

The county was created in 1830. It was named after the St. Joseph River, which flows through the area and eventually reaches Lake Michigan. The main city and government center of the county is South Bend. St. Joseph County is part of a larger area called "Michiana", which includes South Bend, Mishawaka, and parts of Michigan.

Geography

St. Joseph County covers about 461 square miles. Most of this area, about 458 square miles, is land. The rest, about 3.5 square miles, is water.

Cities and Towns

The St. Joseph River flows into St. Joseph County from Elkhart County.

Here are the main cities and towns in St. Joseph County:

• Mishawaka
• South Bend
• Indian Village
• Lakeville
• New Carlisle
• North Liberty
• Osceola
• Roseland
• Walkerton

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns:

• Granger
• Notre Dame

County Divisions

The county is divided into smaller areas called townships:

Neighboring Counties

St. Joseph County shares borders with these other counties:

• Berrien County, Michigan (to the north)
• Cass County, Michigan (to the northeast)
• Elkhart County (to the east)
• Marshall County (to the south)
• Starke County (to the southwest)
• LaPorte County (to the west)

Main Roads

Important highways that run through St. Joseph County include:

• I-80 / I-90 / Indiana Toll Road (a major toll road)
• US 20
• US 31

Climate and Weather

The weather in South Bend changes a lot throughout the year. In January, the average low temperature is about 16°F (about -9°C). In July, the average high temperature is about 83°F (about 28°C).

The coldest temperature ever recorded was -22°F (-30°C) in January 1943. The hottest was 109°F (43°C) in July 1934. The county gets the most rain in June, with about 4.19 inches (106 mm). February is usually the driest month.

Population Information

In 2010, there were 266,931 people living in St. Joseph County. Most people (78.7%) were white. About 12.7% were black or African American, and 7.3% were of Hispanic or Latino background.

The average age of people in the county was 36.2 years old. The average income for a family was about $57,510 per year. About 14.6% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 21.7% of people under 18 years old.

Education

Schools for Kids

St. Joseph County has several school districts. These districts manage public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade.

• John Glenn School Corporation
• Mishawaka School City
• New Prairie United School Corporation
• Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
• South Bend Community School Corporation
• Union-North United School Corporation

Some of the public high schools in the county are:

• John Adams High School
• Clay High School
• James Whitcomb Riley High School
• Washington High School
• Mishawaka High School
• Penn High School

There are also many private schools in the county, including several Catholic schools.

Colleges and Universities

St. Joseph County is home to several colleges and universities:

• Bethel College
• Holy Cross College
• Indiana University South Bend
• Ivy Tech North Central
• St. Mary's College
• University of Notre Dame

St. Joseph County Public Library

The St. Joseph County Public Library helps people learn and read.

Library History

The library started in 1889 as the South Bend Public Library. Its first main building, opened in 1896, was called "The Castle" because of its unique look. In 1918, the first branch library opened in Washington High School. This branch was a community hub for many immigrant families.

A new main library building opened in 1959. In 1992, during a renovation, there was a fire. The community helped the library reopen just seven days later! In 2018, the library decided to expand the main building to add a community learning center. In 2019, many people protested when the county considered cutting the library's funding. Even with the protests, the library lost some funding two years later.

Library Locations

The library has a main building and several branches:

• Main Library
• Centre Township Branch
• Francis Branch
• German Township Branch
• Lakeville Branch
• LaSalle Branch
• North Liberty Branch
• River Park Branch
• Tutt Branch
• Western Branch

Library Services

The library offers many cool services:

• Studio 304: This is a technology area where you can try 3-D printing, make posters, use iPads, play games, and even record music or videos.
• Local and Family History: You can look at old newspapers, yearbooks, and books about the local area. You can also use online tools to research your family tree.
• Databases: The library has access to over 50 online databases. These can help with school projects, research, and even starting a business.
• Homebound Delivery: If you can't get to the library, staff members can bring books and other materials right to your home.

Notable People

• Thadeus Jay Miller, an artist.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Saint Joseph (Indiana) para niños