Vigo County, Indiana | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Vigo County Courthouse in Terre Haute | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIndiana | |
| Coordinates:39°26′N87°23′W / 39.43°N 87.39°W /39.43; -87.39 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| Founded | February 1, 1818 |
| Named after | Francis Vigo |
| Seat | Terre Haute |
| Largest city | Terre Haute |
| Area | |
• Total | 410.45 sq mi (1,063.1 km2) |
| • Land | 403.31 sq mi (1,044.6 km2) |
| • Water | 7.14 sq mi (18.5 km2) 1.74% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 106,153 |
| • Density | 263/sq mi (102/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
| Indiana county number 84 | |
Vigo County (/ˈviːɡoʊ/VEE-goh) is acounty on the western border of theU.S. state ofIndiana. The county is included in theTerre Haute metropolitan area. According to the2020 United States census, it has a population of 106,153.[1] Itscounty seat isTerre Haute.[2]
The county contains four incorporated settlements with a total population of nearly 63,000, as well as several unincorporated communities. It is divided into twelvetownships which provide local services to the residents.[3]
The county was once regarded as one of the bestbellwether regions for voting in U.S. presidential elections; it voted for the winning candidate in every election from 1956 to 2016[4] and in all but three elections since 1888.[5] Until the streak ended in 2020, only one county in the United States,Valencia County, New Mexico, had voted for the winning candidate longer.[6][7]
In 1787, the fledgling United States defined theNorthwest Territory, which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separatedOhio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as theIndiana Territory.[8] PresidentThomas Jefferson choseWilliam Henry Harrison as the territory's first governor, andVincennes was established as the territorial capital.[9] After theMichigan Territory was separated and theIllinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography.[8] By December 1816 the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state.
Starting in 1794, Native American titles to Indiana lands were extinguished by usurpation, purchase, or war and treaty. The United States acquired land from theNative Americans in the1809 treaty of Fort Wayne, and by thetreaty of St. Mary's in 1818 considerably more territory became property of the government. These two treaties resolved the occupation issue for the future Vigo County. Whites had been living in the area since 1811, when General Harrison erected a fort north of present-day Terre Haute. After the Indian skirmishes were resolved, settlers arrived in significant numbers beginning 1815.[10]
The area in present-day Vigo County was first placed under local jurisdiction in 1790, whenKnox County was created. This all-encompassing county was repeatedly subdivided as its lands were occupied. On December 30, 1816, a portion was partitioned to createSullivan County, and on January 21, 1818, the northern portion of Sullivan was partitioned off to create Vigo County. The first county commissioners organized the government in 1818, including naming Terre Haute as its seat. The county's borders changed several times; in 1821, part of the county was formed into Parke County, and later that year Putnam County was formed which also affected Vigo's borders. The final change came in 1873 when the present boundaries were defined.[11] The county is named for ColonelFrancis Vigo, of Italian heritage but a citizen ofSpain due to residence in St. Louis. He is credited with assistingGeorge Rogers Clark, both in financing Clark's exploration andAmerican Revolutionary War efforts, and in service as an agent obtaining military information for Clark against British campaigns on the then frontier.[12]
To the north of Vigo County, theWabash River defines the boundary between Vermillion and Parke counties; the river then enters Vigo County and winds to the south-southwest, defining the southern portion of the county's western border withIllinois before continuing south alongSullivan County's western border. Vigo County is thus the southernmost county in Indiana on the right bank of the Wabash. The county's low hills are devoted to agriculture or urban development; only the drainages and river-adjacent areas are still wooded.[13] Its highest point (680 feet (210 meters) ASL) is Sanford Hill, one mile (1.6 km) west of Paint Mill Lake, south of Terre Haute.[14]
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 410.45 square miles (1,063.1 km2), of which 403.31 square miles (1,044.6 km2) (or 98.26%) is land and 7.14 square miles (18.5 km2) (or 1.74%) is water.[15]
The year after it was authorized, Vigo County was divided into four townships: Honey Creek Wabash, Harrison, and Independence. Prairie Creek Township was formed later that year. Otter Creek, Raccoon, and Sugar Creek townships were created in 1820, and Independence Township was renamed as Paris Township. Raccoon and Wabash townships became part of Parke County when it was partitioned from Vigo County in 1821. Nevins and Riley townships were formed in 1822. In 1824, Paris Township was renamed again to Fayette Township. Pierson Township was created in 1829; Lost Creek in 1831; Linton in 1841; and Prairieton Township in 1857.[16]
Interstate 70 passes through the southern part of Terre Haute from east to west on its way fromIndianapolis toSaint Louis, Missouri;[17]U.S. Route 40 roughly parallels Interstate 70 and passes through the middle of the city.[18] Both highways intersectU.S. Route 41, coming fromChicago to the north;[19]U.S. Route 150 enters fromParis, Illinois to the northwest and joins U.S. Route 41 in downtown Terre Haute, and both continue south towardVincennes andEvansville.[20]
SeveralCSX Transportation railroad lines meet in Terre Haute; one enters from the north, another from the Indianapolis area, and another from Vincennes; and two others enter from Illinois. AnIndiana Rail Road line runs southeast from Terre Haute towardBedford.[21]
The following public-use airports are located in the county:[22]
The public schools in the county are part of theVigo County School Corporation. All parts of the county are in this school district.[23] During the 2009–10 school year, the schools served a total of 16,014 students.[24]
Vigo County is served by theVigo County Public Library.[25]
Colleges in Vigo County includeIndiana State University andRose-Hulman Institute of Technology. For a fuller list, see theList of schools in metropolitan Terre Haute.
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In recent years, average temperatures in Terre Haute have ranged from a low of 18 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in September 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.13 inches (54 mm) in January to 4.46 inches (113 mm) in May.[26]
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by theConstitution of Indiana, and by theIndiana Code. The county council is the fiscal body of the county government and controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives, elected to four-year terms from county districts, are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council 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.[27][28]
A board of commissioners is the executive and legislative body of the county. Commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts of the county council, and manage the county government.[27][28]
The county maintains asmall claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state levelcircuit court.[28]
The county has other elected offices, includingsheriff,coroner,auditor,treasurer,recorder,surveyor, and circuitcourt clerk. These officers are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declareparty affiliations and to be residents of the county.[28]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 6,273 | 49.84% | 6,102 | 48.48% | 212 | 1.68% |
| 1892 | 6,159 | 47.64% | 6,599 | 51.04% | 170 | 1.31% |
| 1896 | 8,020 | 51.17% | 7,558 | 48.23% | 94 | 0.60% |
| 1900 | 7,992 | 49.88% | 7,472 | 46.63% | 559 | 3.49% |
| 1904 | 10,327 | 56.33% | 6,625 | 36.14% | 1,380 | 7.53% |
| 1908 | 10,223 | 45.76% | 10,685 | 47.82% | 1,434 | 6.42% |
| 1912 | 3,103 | 17.18% | 7,256 | 40.18% | 7,701 | 42.64% |
| 1916 | 8,934 | 39.71% | 11,165 | 49.63% | 2,397 | 10.66% |
| 1920 | 18,668 | 50.30% | 15,739 | 42.41% | 2,707 | 7.29% |
| 1924 | 19,545 | 52.74% | 12,999 | 35.08% | 4,515 | 12.18% |
| 1928 | 22,962 | 54.71% | 18,509 | 44.10% | 497 | 1.18% |
| 1932 | 18,310 | 40.52% | 25,886 | 57.29% | 991 | 2.19% |
| 1936 | 17,278 | 34.05% | 33,018 | 65.08% | 442 | 0.87% |
| 1940 | 23,177 | 43.99% | 29,308 | 55.63% | 199 | 0.38% |
| 1944 | 21,493 | 46.50% | 24,649 | 53.33% | 81 | 0.18% |
| 1948 | 19,049 | 41.81% | 25,906 | 56.86% | 609 | 1.34% |
| 1952 | 25,806 | 49.74% | 25,841 | 49.81% | 231 | 0.45% |
| 1956 | 25,253 | 50.44% | 24,680 | 49.29% | 135 | 0.27% |
| 1960 | 24,940 | 49.70% | 25,105 | 50.03% | 133 | 0.27% |
| 1964 | 19,001 | 40.64% | 27,606 | 59.05% | 144 | 0.31% |
| 1968 | 20,814 | 44.60% | 20,328 | 43.56% | 5,522 | 11.83% |
| 1972 | 29,730 | 60.73% | 18,898 | 38.60% | 329 | 0.67% |
| 1976 | 23,555 | 48.46% | 24,684 | 50.78% | 371 | 0.76% |
| 1980 | 24,133 | 51.87% | 19,261 | 41.40% | 3,133 | 6.73% |
| 1984 | 26,259 | 58.39% | 18,429 | 40.98% | 285 | 0.63% |
| 1988 | 21,929 | 53.11% | 19,192 | 46.48% | 172 | 0.42% |
| 1992 | 15,834 | 37.56% | 18,050 | 42.81% | 8,277 | 19.63% |
| 1996 | 15,751 | 40.91% | 17,974 | 46.69% | 4,774 | 12.40% |
| 2000 | 18,021 | 49.74% | 17,570 | 48.50% | 637 | 1.76% |
| 2004 | 20,988 | 52.81% | 18,426 | 46.36% | 330 | 0.83% |
| 2008 | 18,121 | 41.29% | 25,040 | 57.06% | 723 | 1.65% |
| 2012 | 19,369 | 48.42% | 19,712 | 49.27% | 924 | 2.31% |
| 2016 | 21,937 | 54.67% | 15,931 | 39.70% | 2,259 | 5.63% |
| 2020 | 24,545 | 56.17% | 18,123 | 41.47% | 1,030 | 2.36% |
| 2024 | 23,738 | 57.87% | 16,338 | 39.83% | 947 | 2.31% |
The county was regarded as one of the bestbellwether regions in U.S. presidential elections.[31] Between1888 and2016, it voted for the winning candidate in every election in all but two instances:1908 and1952. In2020, its bellwether status came to an end when national winnerJoe Biden lost the county by nearly 15 points toDonald Trump.[4][5][32]
Obama carried Vigo County, home toTerre Haute, and at the time a notedbellwether; before2020, it had voted for the winner of every presidential election all but twice since1892. After 2012, political realignment and shift of white working-class voters to Trump, exodus of young people to cities and the rightward turn of exurban areas accelerated by the Trump era have made Vigo County generally uncompetitive to the present day.[33]
The results in the county have often mirrored the nationwide popular vote. In every presidential election from 1960 to 2004, the county voted less than five percentage points from the national result. In 2024, Donald Trump received 58 percent of the vote, which was the best result for a Republican sinceRonald Reagan in 1984, who received 58.4 percent of the vote.
Vigo is part of Indiana's8th congressional district, which is held by RepublicanMark Messmer.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 3,390 | — | |
| 1830 | 5,766 | 70.1% | |
| 1840 | 12,076 | 109.4% | |
| 1850 | 15,289 | 26.6% | |
| 1860 | 22,517 | 47.3% | |
| 1870 | 33,549 | 49.0% | |
| 1880 | 45,658 | 36.1% | |
| 1890 | 50,195 | 9.9% | |
| 1900 | 62,035 | 23.6% | |
| 1910 | 87,930 | 41.7% | |
| 1920 | 100,212 | 14.0% | |
| 1930 | 98,861 | −1.3% | |
| 1940 | 99,709 | 0.9% | |
| 1950 | 105,160 | 5.5% | |
| 1960 | 108,458 | 3.1% | |
| 1970 | 114,528 | 5.6% | |
| 1980 | 112,385 | −1.9% | |
| 1990 | 106,107 | −5.6% | |
| 2000 | 105,848 | −0.2% | |
| 2010 | 107,848 | 1.9% | |
| 2020 | 106,153 | −1.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 106,153 | [34] | 0.0% |
| US Decennial Census[35] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 106,153. The median age was 37.4 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.6 males age 18 and over.[36][37]
The racial makeup of the county was 84.2%White, 6.8%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race, and 5.3% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.1% of the population.[37]
75.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 24.8% lived in rural areas.[38]
There were 41,849 households in the county, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.6% were married-couple households, 21.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[36]
There were 46,932 housing units, of which 10.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 61.7% were owner-occupied and 38.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.0%.[36]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 107,848 people, 41,361 households, and 25,607 families in the county.[39] The population density was 267.4 inhabitants per square mile (103.2/km2). There were 46,006 housing units at an average density of 114.1 per square mile (44.1/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 88.3% white, 6.9% black or African American, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population.[39] In terms of ancestry, 22.6% wereGerman, 20.2% wereAmerican, 12.2% wereIrish, and 10.3% wereEnglish.[40]
Of the 41,361 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.1% were non-families, and 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 36.1 years.[39]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $50,413. Males had a median income of $42,014 versus $30,217 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,398. About 13.3% of families and 19.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.5% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.[41]
Places adjacent to Vigo County, Indiana | |
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Municipalities and communities ofVigo County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Other communities |
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
39°26′N87°23′W / 39.43°N 87.39°W /39.43; -87.39
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