September 18, 2021

Population shifts: 2020 Census and Indiana

United States and Indiana State flags

Indiana’s population has increased by 302,000 during the last 10 years, but more than half of the state’s 92 counties lost people. All of the five fastest growing counties border Marion County in central Indiana.

Hamilton County, where the population has increased by 26.6 percent, continues to post the largest gains, “with a growth rate faster than the state of Texas,” reports Carol Rogers, co-director of the Indiana Business Research Center at IU’s Kelley School of Business.

Carol, who will be Nelson’s guest to discuss the results of the 2020 U.S. Census, serves as the Census liaison to Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Our show will follow up on a program in 2020 (May 2, 2020) in which Carol’s colleague, demographer Matt Kinghorn, joined Nelson to discuss trends in advance of the Census results. Hoosier History Live also has explored ways that Census information can be used for historic research (Nov. 9, 2019).

During the past decade, the Indianapolis metro area grew by 223,000, accounting for 74 percent of the state’s growth, Carol says. According to a report in the Indianapolis Star in August 13, 2021, 49 of the state’s 92 counties – including most of the rural counties – have lost people over the last decade.

Census taker The Star also has reported on August 14, 2021 that the city of Westfield, where the population increased from 30,068 in 2010 to 46,410, led Hamilton County’s four cities in growth, climbing by 54.4 percent. The other three cities of Carmel, Fishers and Noblesville all grew by more than 25 percent.

Concurrently, Hamilton County and the Hoosier state in general, continues to become more diverse. According to some reports, the state has gained 72,500 Asian residents since the 2010 U.S. Census. As has been discussed during previous Hoosier History Live shows, Indiana is the home of the largest Burmese population in the country; in particular, immigrants from the country now known as Myanmar have relocated to the southside of Indianapolis, Greenwood and Fort Wayne.

“Indiana’s Hispanic population grew by 42.2 percent and now makes up 8.2 percent of the population,” according to The Star’s analysis. Black residents make up 9.6 percent of the state’s population.

The drop in people in more than half of the state’s counties reflects a national trend, Carol Rogers says. She reports that more than half of the counties across the country are smaller than they were in 2010.

Roadtrip: Two old railroad bridges complete South Adams Trail Bridge

Guest Roadtripper Randy Lehman of Fort Wayne, and president of South Adams Trails, tells us about the completion of the South Adams Bridge project in Adams County in eastern Indiana. The South Adams Trail is a walking trail along an old railroad line, starting a little north of the town of Geneva, also home of the Gene Stratton Porter Limberlost State Historic Site. The trail heads north for two miles and crosses the Wabash River and ends at CR 850S, 2 miles short of its final destination, Lehman Park in Berne.

The project involved building a pedestrian walkway across the Wabash River and using two 1890s railroad bridges. One bridge was still on site but abandoned, and the other bridge was an abandoned 1890s railroad overpass from the city of Decatur that used to span the St. Mary’s River. Both bridges had to be disassembled, trucked to Pierceton Indiana, where all the parts were sandblasted, inspected, repaired if needed and received a primer coat. They were then brought back to the site, re-assembled, put back into place, and painted “red” while on-location.

Hoosier History Live welcomes Ryan DeRome

Hoosier History Live is pleased to announce Ryan DeRome as its new associate producer. Ryan is taking the reins from Mick Armbruster, who served diligently in that position for many years, as well as guest hosted occasionally.

Mick, a former high school English teacher at both Arsenal Technical and Brebeuf Jesuit in Indianapolis, continues to pursue his various passions in what he calls "creative self-employment." "Follow your joy!" urges Mick.

Ryan, who began training with Mick a month ago, attended IUPUI Herron School of Art, is a writer and editor in the "gig" economy (as we all are!) and works in the audio/video industry as an installer, data technician and event technology operations manager.

Ryan will handle editing the newsletter, website, and podcasts, and of course, always more! As one can imagine, a maverick, multi-level media project such as Hoosier History Live demands hours and hours of detailed behind-the-scenes work. As producer Molly Head often tells host Nelson Price, "We are absolutely lost without our tech people."

"My deep love of Hoosier and world history often go hand in hand, "says Ryan. "My personal library is filled with books on all things Indiana and working with Hoosier History Live is a great way to expand my knowledge and contribute to this show and the citizens of Indiana."

For organizational sponsorship, which includes logos, links, and voiced credits in the show and in podcasts, email molly@hoosierhistorylive.org, or call or text (317) 506-7164 for information. Our podcast listens are increasing and we are being distributed on Indiana Memory and the National Digital Public Library. Grow with us as our podcast and internet presence expands! Thanks also to Visit Indy, Fraizer Designs, WICR-FM, Henri Pensis, Genesis Brown, Kielynn Tally, Heather McIntyre, Justin Clark, and many other individuals and organizations.

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