Jasper County, Indiana

{| class="wikitable floatright" style="text-align: center"

|+ Demographics (2010)

! Demographic

! Proportion

| White

|95.8%

| Black

|0.6%

| Asian

|0.4%

| Islander

|0.0%

| Native

|0.2%

| Other

|3.0%

| Hispanic<br />(any race)

|5.4%

Jasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 32,918. The county seat is Rensselaer. Jasper County is included in the Chicago metropolitan area.

History

The lands of present NW Indiana were explored by French explorer Robert de LaSalle. At that time, the area was inhabited by the Miami Confederation of Indians. Through White settlement, encroachment, and confrontation, the various indigenous groups were forced to cede their claim to the area. In October 1818, the Pottawattamies, Weas, and Delawares ceded their lands west of the Tippecanoe River to the government. In a treaty dated October 23, 1826, the Pottawattamies and Miamis ceded all their lands east of the Tippecanoe. A treaty dated October 26, 1832, with the Pottawattamies ceded control of the northwestern part of Indiana; on October 27 the Pottawattamies of Indiana and Michigan also relinquished all claim to any remaining land in those states.

Until the 1832 treaty of 1832, the future Jasper County area was not open to settlement; those who did come to Indiana before that time had flooded the southern parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois through the Ohio Valley. Northwestern Indiana was also less desirable for initial settlement, the land being described as alternate swamps, sterile sand ridges and flat, wet prairies. It did proliferate in game, however, and eventually settlers found it. The first recorded settler was William Donahue, who located in present-day Gillam Township. He was a justice of the peace during the period prior to the county's establishment.

Although the settlers were sparse, the state legislature provided for two counties to be established in the area. The state legislature passed an omnibus bill that authorized thirteen counties and described their boundaries, although their governing structures were not established at that time. The new counties of Jasper and Newton were attached to White County for political and civil purposes.

In 1836 all the area north of the Kankakee River was partitioned from Jasper as Porter County. By 1837 preparations were made to create the Jasper County governing structure, with a county commission elected that year. They first met in January 1838 at the house of Robert Alexander in present-day Benton County. After that, the pro tem county seat was designated as the residence of George W. Spitler, in present-day Iroquois Township, Newton County and the first meeting was held in March 1839. The official date of formation of the Jasper County government is given as March 15, 1838. This is caused by the Iroquois River, one of the main tributaries of the Kankakee River that flows throughout Jasper County, a major water source for the area.

Major highways

Railroads

CSX Transportation
Norfolk Southern Railway
Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway

Adjacent counties

Municipalities

The municipalities in Jasper County, and their populations as of the 2020 census, are:

Cities

Rensselaer – 5,733

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships

The 13 townships of Jasper County, with their populations as of the 2020 census, are:

Education

Residents of Jasper County attend public schools administered by four different districts in multiple counties:

Kankakee Valley School Corporation
Rensselaer Central Schools Corporation
Tri-County School Corporation
West Central School Corporation

High Schools

Kankakee Valley High School
Covenant Christian High School in DeMotte (grades 9–12)

Middle Schools

Kankakee Valley Middle School
Rensselaer Central Middle School

Elementary Schools

DeMotte Christian Elementary School (preschool through 8)
DeMotte Elementary School
Kankakee Valley Intermediate School
St. Augustine Catholic School
Tri-County Primary School (K-2nd)
Van Rensselaer Elementary School
Wheatfield Elementary School

Colleges and Universities

Saint Joseph's College (closed)

Hospitals

Franciscan Health Rensselaer, Rensselaer – 46 beds

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Rensselaer have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government. and Indiana House of Representatives districts 4, 16 and 20.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 32,918. The median age was 41.1 years. 24.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 90.2% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.7% from some other race, and 6.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.1% of the population.

There were 12,728 households in the county, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 55.8% were married-couple households, 16.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 13,168 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.8% white, 0.6% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.4% of the population.

Of the 12,232 households, 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.1% were non-families, and 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age was 38.0 years.

Religion

The Catholic church is the biggest denomination in the county with 4,341 members, the second largest is the Reformed Church in America with 1,502 members and 2 churches (First Church and American Reformed Church) the third is the United Methodist Church with 1,300 members, the fourth largest is the Christian Reformed Church in North America with 1,013 members in 3 congregations as of 2010.