Jay County, Indiana
Located in Indiana, Jay County has a population of 20,229 residents and a median age of 39.5 years, making it the #1,863 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 14.4%. The median home value is $117,500, and the median household income is $54,969, which is 27% below the national median.
Demographics
Jay County has a population of 20,229, making it the #1,863 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Jay County is $54,969, ranking #2,475 out of 3,222 counties — 26.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 14.4% and unemployment stands at 4.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Jay County is $117,500 (-58.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $770/mo and the homeownership rate is 79.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Jay County, 13.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 60.4% below the national average, ranking #2,999 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Jay County is 73.1 years. 22.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
23.3% of adults in Jay County smoke , 42.1% are obese , and 18.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 44.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 25.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 27.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.6% of children in Jay County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 9.8 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 29.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Jay County is 55.0%. The mean commute time is 24.5 min, which is 11.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Jay County voted Republican with a margin of 55.1%. The vote was 21.6% Dem / 76.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Jay County, Indiana
Jay County, Indiana has a total population of 20,229, making it the 1,863rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Jay County is 39.5 years, which is 1.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Jay County is $54,969, which ranks #2,475 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 26.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 14.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.4%.
The median home value in Jay County is $117,500, 58.3% below the national median. Renters in Jay County pay a median gross rent of $770 per month. The homeownership rate is 79.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Jay County, 13.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 60.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.5 min.
Jay County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.8% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
All data for Jay County, Indiana comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.