Daviess County, Indiana

Daviess County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 33,381. The county seat is Washington.

About 15% of the county's population is Amish of Swiss origin, as of 2017. U.S. district attorney for Kentucky, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Daviess County shares its namesake with another nearby Daviess County in Kentucky. Both counties are in the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky Tri-State Area.

The earliest settlements were along the White River, which allowed crops and timber to be transported to distant markets. The northeast part of the county was heavily forested, and timber industry flourished in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Geography

The terrain of Daviess County is hilly, with its area completely devoted to agriculture or urban development. Its highest elevation ( ASL) is a rise north-northeast of Farlen. The county is drained by the White River flowing to the southwest, whose two main forks (East White and West White) come together at the county's southwest corner. The county's west boundary is defined by the West White River's course and its southern boundary is defined by the East White River's course; their confluence defines the county's corner point.

According to the 2010 census, Daviess County has a total area of , of which , or 98.31%, is land and , or 1.69%, is water.

In recent years, average temperatures in Washington have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of was recorded in July 1930. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in May.

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 33,381. The median age was 35.2 years. 29.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 90.9% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.6% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.3% of the population.

There were 11,737 households in the county, of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 55.4% were married-couple households, 17.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 12,471 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 2.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.2% of the population.

Of the 11,329 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.4% were non-families, and 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age was 35.4 years.

Amish community

The Amish (Swiss Amish) community in Daviess County, established in 1868, had a total population of 4,855 people (in 29 congregations) in 2017 or 14.6% of the county's population, stretching along the eastern side of the county from Alfordsville, to Cannelburg and Montgomery to Odon.

Communities

City

Washington

Towns

Alfordsville
Cannelburg
Elnora
Montgomery
Odon
Plainville

Census-designated place

Raglesville

Other unincorporated places

Black Oak
Cornettsville
Corning
Epsom
Farlen
Glendale
Graham
Hudsonville
Maysville
Pennyville
South Washington

Townships

Barr
Bogard
Elmore
Harrison
Madison
Reeve
Steele
Van Buren
Veale
Washington

Government

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.

A board of commissioners constitutes the county's executive body. Commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The board executes the council's legislative acts, collects revenue, and manages the county's government functions.

Daviess County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 39 and 48; and Indiana House of Representatives districts 45, 63 and 64.

Political culture

Daviess County is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections and is consistently one of the most Republican counties in Indiana, giving John McCain 67% of the vote in 2008 and Mitt Romney nearly 75% of the vote in 2012. Donald Trump won nearly 80% of the vote in 2020.