Elkhart, IN
Census place 1820728 · pop 53,733
Self-styled 'RV Capital of the World' and a major center of the band-instrument industry.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
47.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$51,028 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
16.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
17.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
53.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
18.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
45 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
232 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.86% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
76/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
615 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,232/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$139,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Frequently asked
- Is Elkhart, IN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Elkhart scores 46/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is adult obesity. Indiana overall ranks #18 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Elkhart, IN?
- Elkhart reports 232 violent crimes per 100k and 615 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Elkhart, IN expensive to live in?
- Elkhart has a median home value of $139,500 and typical rent around $1,232/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Elkhart, IN?
- Its weakest measured area is adult obesity (47.3%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Elkhart, IN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($139,500) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Self-styled 'RV Capital of the World' and a major center of the band-instrument industry.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.