Indianapolis, Indiana Population 2024

874,089

Indianapolis is a city located in Marion County Indiana. Indianapolis has a 2024 population of 874,089. It is also the county seat of Marion County. Indianapolis is currently declining at a rate of -0.37% annually and its population has decreased by -1.47% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 887,153 in 2020.

The average household income in Indianapolis is $82,697 with a poverty rate of 15.86%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Indianapolis is 34.3 years, 33.2 years for males, and 35.3 years for females.

Indianapolis was also recently ranked by Forbes as one of the best downtowns in the country with movie theaters, museums, art galleries, parks, retail shops, and entertainment, and its greater area has seen moderate growth in the past few years.

Indianapolis Diversity

In 2013, it was announced that African Americans in Indianapolis had reached a new milestone: a total population of 300,000, which is an increase of 3.9% over the 2010 Census data. The city and county are now 29.3% African American, but the metropolitan area is 16% black. 1 in 8 people living in Central Indiana is African American.

In 1970, non-Hispanic whites accounted for 80% of the Indianapolis population, and Indianapolis was the 11th largest city in the US. In the 1970s and '80s, the city suffered from white flight and urban decay, and major revitalization efforts in the most blighted areas during the 1980's help to accelerate growth on the fringes of the metro region.

A 2010 study from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee found that Indianapolis is the least segregated city in the northern US, with 25% of its population living on a block with both black and white residents.

Indianapolis Population Growth

For the 6th year in a row, Indiana's population growth rate has dropped. The US Census Bureau estimates that Indiana's population grew about 0.3% in 2012, although it has remained higher than adjacent states and this sluggish growth is typical throughout the United States.

Columbus, Ohio has a population that's pretty comparable to Indianapolis, but about 30,000 lower. Columbus has a much higher growth rate, and it's believed it will surpass Indianapolis by 2020.

Despite its sluggish growth, it's predicted the entire state of Indiana will grow 15% by 2050, and populations in counties surrounding Indianapolis are expected to grow the most. The Indianapolis-Carmel metro area has always been the growth engine for the state and accounted for 57% of Indiana's growth between 2000 and 2010. By 2030, it's expected to be responsible for 62% of the state's growth. It will be interesting to see just how many people Indianapolis can add by the next census in 2020.

The area of Indianapolis was initially inhabited by the Miami and Lenape (Delaware) Native American tribes, who were displaced around 1820. Indianapolis was chosen as the site of the state capital in 1820 and, while most state capitals are chosen in the central area of the state, Indianapolis is the closest capital to being in the exact center of Indianapolis.

The city was founded on the White River on the false assumption that this river could be a source of significant transportation, but settlers eventually found it was too sandy for trade transportation. The city's name comes from Jeremiah Sullivan, a judge for the Indiana Supreme Court, who joined Indiana with "polis," a Greek word meaning city.

Alexander Ralston was then commissioned to design the new city and had assisted previously with the design for Washington, D.C. By the early 20th century, Indianapolis was a major auto manufacturer, rivaling Detroit, and it was a major hub of regional transport that earned it the nickname "the Crossroads of America."

Through the beginning of the 20th century, Indianapolis proliferated, although fast suburbanization started around 1950 and race relations deteriorated. It's believed a speech by Robert Kennedy, in town campaigning for President on the night that Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated, that saved Indianapolis from riots that occurred throughout the United States.

While its growth has slowed significantly, Indianapolis is still a major transportation hub with a thriving economy and population.

Indianapolis Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Indianapolis was:

  • White: 55.72%
  • Black or African American: 28.84%
  • Two or more races: 6.3%
  • Other race: 4.71%
  • Asian: 4.15%
  • Native American: 0.26%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.01%
State
Indiana
Land Area (mi²)
361.6 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,417.50/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
-1.47% (-13,064)
The current population of Indianapolis, Indiana is 874,089 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 887,153.

Indianapolis, Indiana Population 2024

Population by Race

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Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White491,42955.72%
Black or African American254,39028.84%
Two or more races55,5626.3%
Other race41,5734.71%
Asian36,6324.15%
Native American2,3090.26%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1110.01%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Indianapolis Population by Race

Indianapolis Population Pyramid 2024

Indianapolis Median Age

34.3

Total

33.2

Male

35.3

Female

Indianapolis Adults

There are 666,029 adults, (113,008 of whom are seniors) in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Age Dependency

59.5

Age Dependency Ratio

20.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

39.1

Child Dependency Ratio

Indianapolis Sex Ratio

Female453,05651.37%
Male428,95048.63%

Indianapolis Population by Age

Indianapolis Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All356,3572.4354.945.1
Non Family161,9061.2540.559.5
Married126,9663.3478.221.8
Female50,7623.5941.258.8
Male16,7233.558.641.4

3.3

Average Family Size

2.43

Average Household Size

54.9%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Indianapolis Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Indianapolis Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Indianapolis Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 91.64%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 45.05%.

Indianapolis Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$43,733

Average Earnings

$48,230

Average Male

$39,662

Average Female

Indianapolis Earnings by Educational Attainment

Indianapolis Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Indianapolis Language

85.23% of Indianapolis residents speak only English, while 14.77% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.29% of the population.

Indianapolis Language

Indianapolis Poverty by Race

rate

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Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Black248,55459,47623.93%
White447,74648,39510.81%
Hispanic95,25518,28719.2%
Multiple54,9178,76015.95%
Other41,0908,49220.67%
Asian36,3845,61015.42%
Native2,22637316.76%
Islander11176.31%

15.86%

Overall Poverty Rate

14.39%

Male Poverty Rate

17.25%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Indianapolis

The race most likely to be in poverty in Indianapolis is Black, with 23.93% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Indianapolis is Islander, with 6.31% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.72%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.71%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.53%.

Indianapolis Poverty

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade28.56%
High School15.57%
Some College11.37%
Bachelors or Greater5.04%

Indianapolis Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed39.29%
Male Unemployed31.32%
Female Employed8.38%
Male Employed5.5%

Indianapolis Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Indianapolis Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Indianapolis Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

39.4%

Overall Marriage Rate

41.6%

Male Marriage Rate

37.3%

Female Marriage Rate

Indianapolis Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Indianapolis Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Indianapolis Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Indianapolis Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

39,141

Number of Veterans

34,890

Male Veterans

4,251

Female Veterans

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Indianapolis Veterans by War

count

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Indianapolis Veterans by Age

count

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Indianapolis Veterans by Race

Indianapolis Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

9.19%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.31%

Veteran Disability Rate

Indianapolis Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

67.2%

Labor Force Participation

63.4%

Employment Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

Indianapolis Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Indianapolis Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Indianapolis Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

65.22%

Born in Indianapolis

89.7%

Native Born

10.3%

Foreign Born

6.9%

Non Citizen

3.39%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

89.7% of Indianapolis residents were born in the United States, with 65.22% having been born in Indiana. 6.9% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Indianapolis Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

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Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
2029857,759-3,266-0.38%
2028861,025-3,266-0.38%
2027864,291-3,266-0.38%
2026867,557-3,266-0.38%
2025870,823-3,266-0.37%
2024874,089-3,266-0.37%
2023877,355-3,266-0.37%
2022880,621-1,799-0.2%
2021882,420-4,733-0.53%
2020887,15311,4591.31%
2019875,6944,1370.47%
2018871,5577,4470.86%
2017864,1104,7390.55%
2016859,3715,3880.63%
2015853,9833,6140.42%
2014850,3695,5010.65%
2013844,8689,2631.11%
2012835,6057,8840.95%
2011827,7216,1450.75%
2010821,576
2000781,87050,5436.91%
1990731,32730,5204.35%
1980700,807-43,817-5.88%
1970744,624268,36656.35%
1960476,25849,08511.49%
1950427,17340,20110.39%
1940386,97222,8116.26%
1930364,16149,96715.9%
1920314,19480,54434.47%
1910233,65064,48638.12%
1900169,16463,72860.44%
1890105,43630,38040.48%
188075,05626,81255.58%
187048,24429,633159.22%
186018,61110,520130.02%
18508,0915,399200.56%
18402,692-855,067-99.69%
showing: 37 rows

Indianapolis Population by Year