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Wabash County, Indiana

Coordinates: 40°51′N 85°47′W / 40.85°N 85.79°W / 40.85; -85.79
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Wabash County
County
Wabash County Courthouse
Wabash County Courthouse
Map of Indiana highlighting Wabash County
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Map of the United States highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°51′N 85°47′W / 40.85°N 85.79°W / 40.85; -85.79
Country United States
State Indiana
FoundedJanuary 1820; organized 1835
Named forWabash River
SeatWabash
Largest cityWabash
Area
 • Total
420.98 sq mi (1,090.3 km2)
 • Land412.43 sq mi (1,068.2 km2)
 • Water8.54 sq mi (22.1 km2)  2.03%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
30,976
 • Estimate 
(2023)
30,670 Decrease
 • Density74/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.wabashcounty.in.gov
Indiana county number 85

Wabash County is a county located in the northern central part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 30,976.[1] The county seat is Wabash.[2]

History

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The area was inhabited for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples. French explorers and traders encountered the historical Miami Native Americans beginning in the 17th century.

Wabash County, along with Delaware County, was originally formed Jan. 1820 out of the 1818 New Purchase resulting from the Treaty of St. Mary's. Wabash County was the Wabash River drainage area, and Delaware County, the White River drainage area. Numerous counties were carved out of the Wabash New Purchase. Wabash County as it exists today was organized out of a remnant portion of the original county in 1835.

The name "Wabash" is an English spelling of the earlier French name for the river, Ouabache. French traders derived the French version from the Indian name for the river, Wabashike (pronounced "Wah-bah-she-keh") (meaning "pure white".) Much of the river bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.

Geography

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According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 420.98 square miles (1,090.3 km2), of which 412.43 square miles (1,068.2 km2) (or 97.97%) is land and 8.54 square miles (22.1 km2) (or 2.03%) is water.[3]

North Manchester from the air looking northeast.

Adjacent counties

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated places

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Extinct

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Townships

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Major highways

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Climate and weather

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Wabash, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[4]
Metric conversion
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17
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79
 
 
9
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in Wabash have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 83 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.89 inches (48 mm) in February to 4.23 inches (107 mm) in June.[4]

Government

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See also: Government of Indiana

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 county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also 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.[5][6]

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.[5][6]

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some 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 also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.[6]

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, assessor, prosecutor, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers 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 to be residents of the county.[6]

Wabash County is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. Since 1888, only two Republican Party candidates have lost the county, William Howard Taft in 1912 & Barry Goldwater in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Wabash County, Indiana[7]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 10,425 74.67% 3,335 23.89% 201 1.44%
2020 10,762 73.72% 3,494 23.93% 342 2.34%
2016 9,821 72.47% 3,018 22.27% 713 5.26%
2012 8,644 67.03% 3,973 30.81% 278 2.16%
2008 8,238 59.30% 5,456 39.27% 198 1.43%
2004 9,607 70.63% 3,920 28.82% 75 0.55%
2000 8,321 64.59% 4,277 33.20% 285 2.21%
1996 6,990 53.79% 4,577 35.22% 1,429 11.00%
1992 7,062 46.77% 4,518 29.92% 3,521 23.32%
1988 9,153 68.39% 4,168 31.14% 63 0.47%
1984 9,862 70.30% 4,077 29.06% 89 0.63%
1980 8,738 60.82% 4,620 32.15% 1,010 7.03%
1976 8,534 59.51% 5,704 39.78% 102 0.71%
1972 10,011 68.29% 4,601 31.39% 47 0.32%
1968 8,611 61.07% 4,598 32.61% 892 6.33%
1964 6,905 47.51% 7,485 51.50% 145 1.00%
1960 10,420 68.12% 4,788 31.30% 89 0.58%
1956 10,318 71.18% 4,085 28.18% 93 0.64%
1952 9,980 67.94% 4,395 29.92% 315 2.14%
1948 8,149 61.53% 4,692 35.42% 404 3.05%
1944 8,357 62.30% 4,665 34.77% 393 2.93%
1940 8,755 61.11% 5,431 37.91% 141 0.98%
1936 7,223 53.02% 6,200 45.51% 200 1.47%
1932 6,652 49.36% 6,553 48.63% 271 2.01%
1928 8,537 68.25% 3,872 30.96% 99 0.79%
1924 7,277 60.44% 4,054 33.67% 709 5.89%
1920 8,018 60.33% 4,827 36.32% 445 3.35%
1916 3,849 50.37% 3,168 41.46% 624 8.17%
1912 1,363 20.08% 2,371 34.92% 3,055 45.00%
1908 4,091 53.55% 3,116 40.79% 433 5.67%
1904 4,516 59.44% 2,381 31.34% 700 9.21%
1900 4,433 58.48% 2,882 38.02% 266 3.51%
1896 4,319 59.04% 2,891 39.52% 105 1.44%
1892 3,687 55.20% 2,413 36.13% 579 8.67%
1888 3,986 58.41% 2,555 37.44% 283 4.15%

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18402,756—
185012,138340.4%
186017,54744.6%
187021,30521.4%
188025,24118.5%
189027,1267.5%
190028,2354.1%
191026,926−4.6%
192027,2311.1%
193025,170−7.6%
194026,6015.7%
195029,0479.2%
196032,60512.2%
197035,5539.0%
198036,6403.1%
199035,069−4.3%
200034,960−0.3%
201032,888−5.9%
202030,976−5.8%
2023 (est.)30,670[8]−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 32,888 people, 12,777 households, and 8,733 families residing in the county.[13] The population density was 79.7 inhabitants per square mile (30.8/km2). There were 14,171 housing units at an average density of 34.4 per square mile (13.3/km2).[3] The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.7% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.1% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 31.3% were German, 18.1% were American, 10.1% were English, and 10.0% were Irish.[14]

Of the 12,777 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.7% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.2 years.[13]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $52,758. Males had a median income of $41,965 versus $26,944 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,475. About 8.8% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Wabash County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Wabash, Indiana". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 27, 2004. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  7. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  14. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  15. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
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