Hamilton County, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hamilton County
U.S. county
Hamilton County courthouse in Noblesville, Indiana
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	1823
Named for	Alexander Hamilton
Seat	Noblesville
Largest city	Carmel
Area
• Total	402.44 sq mi (1,042.3 km2)
• Land	394.27 sq mi (1,021.2 km2)
• Water	8.17 sq mi (21.2 km2)  2.03%%
Population
• Estimate  (2019)	338,011
• Density	690/sq mi (266/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	5th
Indiana county number 29 Fastest-growing county in the state Most affluent county in the state

Hamilton County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville.

Hamilton County is part of the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Hamilton County has been the second most populous county in Central Indiana.

Hamilton County's roots are in agriculture. However, after World War II, Indianapolis grew north and towns in the southern part of the county developed as suburbs. Residential and commercial development have replaced many farm fields. The northern part of the county remains largely agricultural. Today, the county is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. According to 2007 estimates by the U.S. Census, the county's population increased from an estimated 182,740 in 2000 to 261,661 in 2007, making it the fastest-growing county in Indiana out of 92. As of the 2010 census, Hamilton County has surpassed St. Joseph County in population, making it the state's fourth most populous. It is also the third densest in the state, after Marion and Lake Counties.

In 2010, Hamilton County was home to three of the state's 20 largest cities and towns: Carmel (8th), Fishers (9th), and Noblesville (14th).

Geist and Morse reservoirs are two man-made lakes in Hamilton County that offer recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, and waterfront living.

In June 2008, Hamilton County was named America's Best Place to Raise a Family by Forbes.com due to its strong economy, affordable living, top-ranked schools, and close proximity to Indianapolis. The city of Carmel in southwestern Hamilton County was designated CNN Money's top place to live in 2013 and in 2017, the city of Fishers was named best place to live.

History

The land containing Hamilton County was brought into the possession of the United States by the Treaty of St. Mary's in 1818. William Conner was the first white settler in the county. In the summer of 1822, after realizing there were enough settlers in the area, Conner and other settlers applied to the Indiana Legislature for a charter authorizing them to become a separate and independent county under Indiana law. The application was presented to the Legislature at the 1822-23 session and the act was passed and approved by the governor on January 8, 1823. The act took effect on the first Monday in April (April 7), 1823. The County Commissioners first met on May 5, 1823, at the house of William Conner. Conner’s house would also serve as the County Circuit Court. The county was named after Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Noblesville have ranged from a low of 17 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −23 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.42 inches (61 mm) in January to 4.86 inches (123 mm) in May. Hamilton County's climate thus falls within the Köppen climate classification system as a humid continental temperate climate, with pleasant spring and fall seasons surrounded by harsh cold and humid heat in the winter and summer, respectively.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 402.44 square miles (1,042.3 km²), of which 394.27 square miles (1,021.2 km²) (or 97.97%) is land and 8.17 square miles (21.2 km²) (or 2.03%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 69
• Interstate 465
• U.S. Route 31
• U.S. Route 421
• State Road 19
• State Road 32
• State Road 37
• State Road 38
• State Road 47

Airport

• KUMP - Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport

Adjacent counties

• Tipton County (North)
• Madison County (East)
• Hancock County (Southeast)
• Marion County (South)
• Boone County (West)
• Clinton County (Northwest)

Cities and towns

• Arcadia
• Atlanta
• Carmel
• Cicero
• Fishers
• Noblesville
• Sheridan
• Westfield

Townships

• Adams
• Clay
• Delaware
• Fall Creek
• Jackson
• Noblesville
• Washington
• Wayne
• White River

Demographics

2010 Census

Age and gender distribution in Hamilton County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 274,569 people, 99,835 households, and 74,755 families residing in the county. The population density was 696.4 inhabitants per square mile (268.9/km²). There were 106,772 housing units at an average density of 270.8 per square mile (104.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.5% white, 4.8% Asian, 3.5% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 29.0% were German, 14.6% were Irish, 13.0% were English, and 7.7% were American.

Of the 99,835 households, 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.1% were non-families, and 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.19. The median age was 35.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $95,376. Males had a median income of $67,221 versus $44,273 for females. The per capita income for the county was $38,500. About 3.6% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Life expectancy

The life expectancy in Hamilton County in 2010 was 81.21 years, up 6.6 percent from 76.16 years in 1980. By comparison, the U.S. national average in 2010 was 78.49 years.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Hamilton (Indiana) para niños