Noble County, Indiana


Noble County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 47,457. The county seat is Albion. The county is divided into 13 townships which provide local services. Noble County comprises the Kendallville, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Wayne, Indiana|Fort Wayne]-Huntington-Auburn, IN Combined Statistical Area.

History

Noble County's government was organized beginning in 1836. The county was named for a family that was influential in Indiana politics at the time, including the Indiana governor at the time Noah Noble and his brother, James, who served as the state's first senator after it gained statehood.
Noble County's first homesteaders came from New England, known as "Yankees"; people descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New Englanders who migrated west to what was then the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. This migration was sparked as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal and conclusion of the Black Hawk War. They founded the towns of Kendallville and Albion.

Geography

Noble County is in the state's northeast corner. Its low, rolling terrain is dotted with lakes and wetlands, but is otherwise entirely devoted to agriculture or urban development. Its highest point, Sand Hill in Wayne Township, near the county's north line with LaGrange County, is the state's second-highest named point. The Elkhart River flows from the NW part of the county into Elkhart County.
According to the 2010 United States census, Noble County has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Major highways

Major lakes

  • Axel Lake
  • Bartley Lake
  • Big Lake
  • Bixler Lake
  • Bristol Lake
  • Cree Lake
  • Crooked Lake
  • Diamond Lake
  • Eagle Lake
  • Engle Lake
  • Gordy Lake
  • Grannis Lake
  • Jones Lake
  • Knapp Lake
  • Latta Lake
  • Lindsey Lake
  • Little Long Lake
  • Loon Lake
  • Lower Long Lake
  • Marl Lake
  • Millers Lake
  • Moore Lake
  • Moss Lake
  • Mud
  • Pleasant Lake
  • Port Mitchell Lake
  • Roudy Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Schockopee Lake
  • Skinner Lake
  • Sparta Lake
  • Summit Lake
  • Sylvan Lake
  • Upper Long Lake
  • Waldron Lake
  • West Lakes
  • Wible Lake

Protected areas

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Albion have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 47,457. The median age was 39.0 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.9 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 87.1% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.3% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.1% of the population.
22.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 77.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 17,981 households in the county, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.3% were married-couple households, 17.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 20,049 housing units, of which 10.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.2% were owner-occupied and 23.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 47,536 people, 17,355 households, and 12,591 families in the county. The population density was. There were 20,109 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 5.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 32.2% claimed German, 11.1% claimed American, 9.8% claimed Irish, and 8.5% claimed English.
Of the 17,355 households, 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.5% were non-families, and 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.16. The median age was 37.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $53,959. Males had a median income of $40,335 versus $29,887 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,783. About 7.6% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government, controlling spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. The council members are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.
The executive body of the county is the board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts legislated by the council, collect revenue and manage the county government.
The county maintains a small claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.
The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each officer serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.
Each township has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.
Noble County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district and is represented by Jim Banks in the United States Congress. It is part of Indiana Senate district 13 and Indiana House of Representatives district 82.

Education

School districts