How can the general characteristics of Indy’s residents be defined? Here, government data provides a profile from a statistical point of view. Keep in mind, though, that these are averages based on the population as a whole, whereas every individual is unique. And statistics are objective, cut-and-dried numbers. They don’t factor in the subjective qualities and personalities that give Indianapolis its true flavor. That said, here’s what the numbers say about us.
How Many of Us Are There?
The population of Indianapolis in 2007 was 876,804. The population has increased 11.9% during the past decade.
Who Do We Live With?
Indianapolis is comprised of 352,164 households, with an average of 2.44 people living in each household. These households can be broken down into several family types as follows:
- Married with children - 18.4%
- Married without children - 22.8%
- Single parents - 11.8%
- Living alone - 31.8%
- Other - 15.2%
How Diverse Are We?
Indianapolis is a city that embraces diversity. A breakdown of the city’s population by race is as follows:
- White - 69.7%
- Black - 25.9%
- Asian - 1.6%
- Two or more race groups - 1.5%
- American Indian or Alaskan Native - 0.3%
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islands - 0.1%
From an ethnic standpoint, 6.5% of Indy's residents are of Hispanic or Latino origin.
How Educated Are We?
Just over 60% of Indianapolis residents age 25 and over have received a high school diploma or its equivalent. Of those, 5.6% have gone on to achieve associate degrees, 16.7% have attained bachelor’s degrees, and 8.7% have graduate or professional degrees.
How Much Money Do We Make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, per capita income in 2006 was $37,403, an increase of 56.2% over the past decade.
The U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that, in 2006, the median family income was $51,180, the median household income was $41,947, and the average wage per job was $44,209.
The unemployment rate for 2007 was estimated at 4.5, up 66.7% since the year 2000.
From 1999 to 2004, the poverty rate increased from 10.2 to 14.1, a rise of 38.2%, and the poverty rate of children under 18 increased even more, from 14 to 21.1, up 50.7%.
Do We Live Where We Work and Work Where We Live?
Of those who lived in Marion County and were employed in 2000, 86.8% worked in Marion County, while 13.2% worked elsewhere. However, of those who were employed in Marion County in 2000, only 67.5% lived in the county, while 32.5% lived elsewhere.
Source: The preceding statistical information is derived from statistics gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.