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Wayne County, IN: population growth, jobs and income

Wayne County lost 167 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.3%).

Wayne County had an estimated 66,169 residents in 2025, down 0.5% (348 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Indiana as a whole (+2.7%), and the 82nd fastest growth of 92 counties in Indiana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Wayne County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Wayne County, ranked against Indiana and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$815/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes12.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months1402025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 17 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 25,774 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.8% in 2025, 0.3 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 271 new homes in 2025, or 4.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $55,692 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +16.6% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,052nd.

Part of the Richmond, IN micro area.

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Wayne County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202566,169−167
202466,336+207
202366,129−109
202266,238−189
202166,427−90
202066,517–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Wayne County

Wayne County lost 348 people since 2020 even though 368 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 1,213, and net international migration added 504.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−213−1,213
International migrationfrom and to other countries+58+504
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−17+368
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+5−7
Total change−167−348

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IndianaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth82nd of 922,052nd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents63rd of 921,959th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth55th of 921,942nd of 3,092
Median household income87th of 922,399th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate70th of 921,272nd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents20th of 91799th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Wayne County, IN as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Wayne County's population change (−0.5%) was ahead of 3 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

Its median household income ($55,692, 2020–24) is lower than in all 6 of its neighbouring counties.

Wayne County, IN and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Wayne County, IN This county66,169−0.5%−0.34.1$55,692
Union County, IN6,863−3.1%−5.71.5$76,424
Fayette County, IN23,533+0.7%0.80.7$59,321
Randolph County, IN24,438+0.1%2.70.7$60,791
Henry County, IN49,137+0.5%6.30.9$63,150
Preble County, OH40,664−0.8%1.91.1$69,223
Darke County, OH51,520−0.7%0.91.1$64,486

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 92 Indiana counties · Every state

Questions

Is Wayne County growing?

No. Its population fell 0.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 348 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Indiana as a whole changed +2.7% over the same years. That ranks 82nd of 92 counties in Indiana for population growth.

How many people moved to Wayne County?

On net, none in 2025: about 17 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Wayne County?

It averaged 3.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Wayne County?

About 66,169 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Wayne County?

Private employers there had 25,774 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Indiana

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Indiana county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Wayne County data alerts

Email me when Wayne County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Wayne County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.