Indianapolis, Indiana Population 2023

907,802

Indianapolis is a city located in Hamilton County and Marion County Indiana. It is also the county seat of Marion County. With a 2023 population of 907,802, it is the largest city in Indiana and the 16th largest city in the United States.Indianapolis is currently growing at a rate of 0.75% annually and its population has increased by 2.27% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 887,642 in 2020. Spanning over 368 miles, Indianapolis has a population density of 2,511 people per square mile.

The average household income in Indianapolis is $68,367 with a poverty rate of 20.9%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Indianapolis is 34.2 years, 33.1 years for males, and 35.2 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: 58.96%
  • Black or African American: 28.96%
  • Two or more races: 4.23%
  • Other race: 3.89%
  • Asian: 3.72%
  • Native American: 0.22%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.02%
The current population of Indianapolis, Indiana is 907,802 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 887,642.

Indianapolis, Indiana Population 2023

Indianapolis Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

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 2023

Indianapolis Median Age

34.2

Total

33.1

Male

35.2

Female

Indianapolis Adults

There are 655,680 adults, (107,987 of whom are seniors) in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Age Dependency

58.7

Age Dependency Ratio

19.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

39

Child Dependency Ratio

Indianapolis Sex Ratio

Female450,64951.84%
Male418,73848.16%

Indianapolis Population by Age

Indianapolis Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.38

Average Family Size

2.49

Average Household Size

54.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Indianapolis Households and Families

Male

Female

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

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 78.84%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 37.72%.

Indianapolis Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$37,543

Average Earnings

$41,461

Average Male

$34,052

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

86.06% of Indianapolis residents speak only English, while 13.94% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.14% of the population.

Indianapolis Language

Indianapolis Poverty by Race

rate

20.9%

Overall Poverty Rate

15.45%

Male Poverty Rate

18.28%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Indianapolis

The race most likely to be in poverty in Indianapolis is Hispanic, with 36.21% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Indianapolis is Islander, with 12.78% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.97%. Among those working part-time, it was 20.12%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.92%.

Indianapolis Poverty

Indianapolis Poverty Rate by Education

Indianapolis Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Indianapolis Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Indianapolis Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

38.6%

Overall Marriage Rate

40.8%

Male Marriage Rate

36.6%

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

41,597

Number of Veterans

37,072

Male Veterans

4,525

Female Veterans

Indianapolis Veterans by War

Indianapolis Veterans by Age

count

Indianapolis Veterans by Race

Indianapolis Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

8.96%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.53%

Veteran Disability Rate

Indianapolis Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

66.6%

Labor Force Participation

62.8%

Employment Rate

5.7%

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

64.49%

Born in Indianapolis

88.46%

Native Born

9.48%

Foreign Born

6.45%

Non Citizen

3.03%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

88.46% of Indianapolis residents were born in the United States, with 64.49% having been born in Indiana. 6.45% 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 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Indianapolis Population by Year