Whitley County, Indiana


Whitley County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 36,825. Whitley County is the 49th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Columbia City. The county has the highest county number on Indiana license plates, as it is alphabetically the last in the state's list of counties. It is part of the Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fort Wayne–Huntington–Auburn Combined Statistical Area.

History

Indiana was granted statehood near the end of 1816. On February 7, 1835, the state legislature approved an omnibus bill that authorized the creation of thirteen counties, including Whitley. It was named for Col. William Whitley, who was killed in the Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812.
The first non-Native American settlers arrived in the area during that year, as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War and the completion of the Erie Canal. They were from New England - "Yankee" settlers, descendants of the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church. However, due to the Second Great Awakening, many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to Indiana. Whitley County government was organized in 1838.
In the late 1870s, immigrants began arriving from Germany and Ireland.

Geography

Prior to white settlement, Whitley County's low rolling hills were densely forested, and dotted with lakes across its northern portion. At present, the available land is mostly deforested and is entirely devoted to agriculture or urban development. Its highest point is a small rise NE of Cedar Lake. The Eel River flows southwestward through the lower part of the county, and the Blue River flows southwestward through the upper part.
According to the 2010 United States census, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Adjacent counties

City and towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated places

Townships

Lakes

  • Blue Lake
  • Brown Lake
  • Cedar Lake
  • Crooked Lake
  • Dollar Lake
  • Goose Lake
  • Indian Lake
  • Little Cedar Lake
  • Loon Lake
  • Mud Lake
  • New Lake
  • Old Lake
  • Rine Lake
  • Robinson Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Scott Lake
  • Shriner Lake
  • Tadpole Lake
  • Troy Cedar Lake
  • Winters Lake

Protected areas

  • Deniston Resource Area
  • Goose Lake Wetland Conservation Area
  • Pisgah Marsh Nongame Area

Major highways

Climate and weather

In recent years, the average temperatures in Columbia City 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.

Government

The county government is a constitutional body and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and by the Indiana Code.
County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. They set 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.
Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; commissioners are elected to four-year staggered terms in county-wide elections. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.
Court: 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. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state-level circuit court.
County Officials: The county has other officers elected to four-year terms, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.
Whitely County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district, and as of 2025, is represented by Republican Marlin Stutzman in the United States Congress.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 34,191. The median age was 41.8 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.
30.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 69.1% lived in rural areas.
There were 13,857 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.1% were married-couple households, 17.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 14,837 housing units, of which 6.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.8% were owner-occupied and 19.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 33,292 people, 13,001 households, and 9,228 families in the county. The population density was. There were 14,281 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 38.2% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 12.5% were American, and 9.3% were English.
Of the 13,001 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.0% were non-families, and 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 40.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697, and the median income for a family was $63,487. Males had a median income of $44,883 versus $30,724 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,644. About 5.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.