Elkhart County, Indiana: commercial real estate data.
Elkhart County, Indiana had an estimated 207,436 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 207,058, across 463 square miles. County output reached $20.59 bn in 2024, 5,211 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 172 7(a) approvals worth $108.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Elkhart County
How many people live in Elkhart County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024207,132
- Households72,309
- Average household size2.86
- Median household income$68,561
- Median age35.6
- Median gross rent$1,047 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$210,400
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over131,311
- Population under 1856,707
- Share under 1827.4 percent
- Population 65 and over31,943
- Share 65 and over15.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64118,482
- Civilian labor force102,139
- Unemployment rate3.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.9 percent
- Rank by population among Indiana counties6th of 92
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included338th of 3,222
Elkhart County is the 6th largest of 92 Indiana counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 27.4 percent against 15.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Elkhart County
Is Elkhart County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024207,436
- Census 2020 base population207,058
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.18 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024473
- Births, 20242,934
- Deaths, 20241,908
- Natural change, 20241,026
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1,462
- Net international migration, 2024917
- Total net migration, 2024-545
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-5,712
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1762nd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.18 percent since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 by more than net migration took away, so the population grew even though more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Elkhart County
Where are people moving to Elkhart County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,921
- People arriving, from those returns7,007
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,334
- Net household movement-413
- Adjusted gross income arriving$245.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-81.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,695
- Average income of a leaving household$75,533
- Largest single originSt. Joseph County (992 households)
- Largest single destinationSt. Joseph County (1,083 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County | 992 | 1,784 | $60.7 m |
| Kosciusko County | 270 | 509 | $32.1 m |
| Cass County | 190 | 366 | $13.5 m |
| LaGrange County | 179 | 357 | $13.8 m |
| St. Joseph County | 110 | 188 | $5.0 m |
| Marshall County | 98 | 182 | $6.0 m |
| Noble County | 94 | 162 | $5.2 m |
| Cook County | 79 | 132 | $3.2 m |
Households arriving report $12,838 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is St. Joseph County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Elkhart County
What is the Elkhart County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$20.59 bn
- County GDP, 2023$20.22 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.8 percent
- GDP change over five years27.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Indiana areas BEA publishes5th of 92
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes253rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$99,387
Output grew 1.8 percent in the latest year and 27.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Elkhart County
Employment by industry in Elkhart County
- Covered employment, annual average127,100
- Establishments reporting5,293
- Average annual pay$62,117
- Average weekly wage$1,195
- Manufacturing, employment60,633
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$65,456
- Health care and social assistance, employment11,090
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$60,094
- Retail trade, employment9,748
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,511
- Wholesale trade, employment7,005
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$70,111
- Accommodation and food services, employment6,843
- Construction, employment4,204
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 60,633 | 860 | $65,456 |
| Health care and social assistance | 11,090 | 374 | $60,094 |
| Retail trade | 9,748 | 696 | $35,511 |
| Wholesale trade | 7,005 | 440 | $70,111 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,843 | 397 | $21,119 |
| Construction | 4,204 | 550 | $71,712 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 3,978 | 249 | $40,425 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 2,588 | 42 | $225,202 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 60,633 jobs, 47.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Elkhart County
How many businesses are in Elkhart County?
- Establishments, all industries5,211
- Employment at those establishments136,199
- Annual payroll$7.73 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Elkhart County
Building permits in Elkhart County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024484
- Declared construction value permitted$154.5 m
- Single family units authorized342
- Multifamily units authorized142
- Multifamily share of units29.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$319,205
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.7
Single-family homes are 70.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Elkhart County
SBA loans in Elkhart County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded172
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$108.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$628,160
- Median 7(a) approval$192,500
- 10th percentile approval$29,550
- 90th percentile approval$2,175,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,254
- Jobs per approval13.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active39
- Distinct industries receiving approvals94
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms28
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter127
- Franchise loans24
- Franchise share of approvals14.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (11)
- Most active lender1st Source Bank (45)
- 504 approvals recorded107
- 504 gross approval dollars$69.3 m
- Average 504 approval$648,047
- Median 504 approval$393,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval18.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved28.4
- Most active CDCBusiness Development Corporation (BDC) (89)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$177.4 m
The average approval of $628,160 sits well above the median of $192,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Elkhart County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Elkhart County
Do SBA loans in Elkhart County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded31
- Paid in full27
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans12.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure114
- Status: Paid in full27
- Status: Cancelled18
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed9
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Elkhart County
SBA lending by place in Elkhart County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Elkhart, approvals104
- Goshen, approvals27
- Middlebury, approvals15
- Bristol, approvals11
- Nappanee, approvals6
- New Paris, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | 104 | $80,215,200 |
| Goshen | 27 | $6,565,900 |
| Middlebury | 15 | $4,285,700 |
| Bristol | 11 | $5,372,800 |
| Nappanee | 6 | $8,532,700 |
| New Paris | 3 | $1,824,900 |
| Granger | 2 | $689,300 |
| Holland | 2 | $543,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 2 | $14,000 |
Elkhart accounts for 104 approvals against 27 in Goshen. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Elkhart County
How large is Elkhart County?
- Land area463 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Indiana counties16th of 92
- Width, east to west21.1 mi
- Height, north to south22.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land447
- Establishments per square mile11.25
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Elkhart County
Flood risk in Elkhart County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Elkhart County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 180056
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Elkhart County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Elkhart County (community 180056), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Elkhart County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Elkhart County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Elkhart County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024207,132
- Households72,309
- Average household size2.86
- Median household income$68,561
- Median age35.6
Common questions
Elkhart County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Elkhart County, Indiana?
The Census Bureau estimates 207,436 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 207,132, in 72,309 households, ranking 6th of 92 Indiana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Elkhart County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.18 percent since the 2020 census base of 207,058, to 207,436 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,934 births against 1,908 deaths, with net migration of -545. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Elkhart County?
$68,561. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $210,400, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,047 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Elkhart County?
5,211 establishments, employing 136,199 people with an annual payroll of $7.73 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Elkhart County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 60,633 jobs, 47.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 127,100 jobs at an average annual pay of $62,117, or $1,195 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Elkhart County?
172 7(a) approvals totaling $108.0 m since FY2020, across 39 lenders, with a median approval of $192,500, plus 107 504 approvals worth $69.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Elkhart County get paid back?
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 27 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 12.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Elkhart County?
484 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $154.5 m. Multifamily was 29.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Elkhart County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Elkhart County come from?
The largest single origin is St. Joseph County, with 992 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,695 against $75,533 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Elkhart County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Elkhart County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Elkhart County
Cities and places in Elkhart.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Elkhart County. All 13 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart | city | 53,733 | 104 | Wholly in this county |
| Goshen | city | 34,420 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| Nappanee | city | 6,815 | 6 | 93.6 percent here, 6.4 percent Kosciusko County |
| Dunlap | CDP | 6,109 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Simonton Lake | CDP | 4,248 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Middlebury | town | 3,700 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Syracuse | town | 3,233 | None recorded | 3.7 percent here, 96.3 percent Kosciusko County |
| Wakarusa | town | 2,282 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bristol | town | 2,128 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| New Paris | CDP | 1,549 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Millersburg | town | 1,077 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Benton | CDP | 384 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vistula | CDP | 90 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 172 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Elkhart County, the largest being Granger (2), Holland (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.