Census shows many rural Indiana counties lost population

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - More than half of Indiana's counties lost population during the last decade, according to U.S. Census figures released Thursday showing the state's growth around Indianapolis and its other largest cities.

Hamilton, Boone and Hendricks counties in suburban Indianapolis all had population gains of more than 20% between 2010 and 2020, during which time the census found Indiana as a whole grew 4.7% to about 6.8 million residents.

Many rural counties scattered across the state lost population, including 11 that lost more than 5% of their residents. The largest population drops happened in Muncie's Delaware County with a nearly 5,800-person loss and Marion's Grant County losing almost 3,400 people.

Indianapolis and Marion County grew by 8.2% to 977,000 people. Fort Wayne's Allen County grew 8.5% to 385,000.

The census data will be used by state lawmakers in the coming weeks to redraw election districts for U.S. House and state Legislature seats.