Indiana Cities by Population 2025

Indiana’s municipal structure comprises 92 counties and over 550 incorporated municipalities, where counties manage regional services while cities and towns address local needs. Indiana’s counties vary significantly in size and function, with larger counties handling complex urban services and smaller counties focusing on rural governance. The state’s local governments operate under Indiana‘s Home Rule Act, allowing them considerable autonomy in structuring their administrations.

Marion County, which includes Indianapolis, operates under the unique “Unigov” model, consolidating city and county government to reduce redundancy and streamline services. Indianapolis’s mayor-council system oversees public services like law enforcement, transit, and economic development. The city-county council, elected from various districts, sets policies and budgets for the combined region, balancing urban and suburban interests.

In smaller cities, like Evansville and South Bend, Indiana uses both strong-mayor and council-manager systems. The strong-mayor system is typical in larger urban centers, while the council-manager model is favored in towns, allowing for professional management of daily operations by an appointed city manager. These structures give local councils policymaking authority, while managers handle administrative tasks.

Counties in Indiana are managed by elected boards of commissioners, who administer regional services, from infrastructure to health departments. In rural counties, such as Brown County and Tipton County, the focus is on agricultural land management, public safety, and economic support for small communities, many of which are unincorporated.

In unincorporated areas, such as those in Lake County, residents rely on county services for law enforcement, zoning, and infrastructure maintenance. These regions may mirror urban areas in terms of population density and infrastructure but lack the formal governance of a municipality, depending on the county to coordinate essential services.

Indiana’s regional planning organizations facilitate collaboration among cities, towns, and counties on issues like transportation and land use, promoting coordinated growth across the state.