Muncie | |
|---|---|
  .jpg)  | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
| Nickname: Middletown[1] | |
 Location of Muncie inDelaware County, Indiana | |
  Muncie  Muncie | |
| Coordinates:40°11′48″N85°22′30″W / 40.19667°N 85.37500°W /40.19667; -85.37500 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| County | Delaware |
| Townships | Center,Hamilton,Harrison,Liberty,Mount Pleasant |
| Founded | 1827 |
| Incorporated (town) | December 6, 1854 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1865 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Dan Ridenour (R)[3] |
| Area | |
• City | 27.60 sq mi (71.49 km2) |
| • Land | 27.41 sq mi (70.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.51 km2) |
| Elevation | 935 ft (285 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 65,194[2] |
• Estimate (2025) | 64,923[7] |
| • Density | 2,379.0/sq mi (918.54/km2) |
| • Metro | 111,903[5] |
| • Demonym | Munsonian |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 47302–47308 |
| Area code | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-51876[8] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395138[6] |
| Interstate highways |
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| U.S. Highways | |
| Major state roads | |
| Waterways | West Fork of White River |
| Airports | Delaware County Regional Airport |
| Public transit | MITS |
| Website | www |
Muncie (/ˈmʌnsi/MUN-see) is a city inDelaware County, Indiana, United States, and itscounty seat. It is located inEast Central Indiana about 50 miles (80 km) northeast ofIndianapolis.[9] At the2020 census, the city's population was 65,195, down from 70,085 in the 2010 census. It is theprincipal city of the Munciemetropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Delaware County. The city is also included in theIndianapolis–Carmel–Muncie combined statistical area.[10]
TheLenape people, led byBuckongahelas, arrived in the area in the 1790s.[11] They founded several villages, including one known as Munsee Town, along theWhite River. Thetrading post, renamed Muncietown, was selected as the Delaware County seat and platted in 1827. Its name was officially shortened to Muncie in 1845 and incorporated as a city in 1865. Muncie developed as a manufacturing and industrial center, especially after theIndiana gas boom of the 1880s. It is home toBall State University. Muncie was also the subject of the sociologicalMiddletown studies, sociological research that was first conducted in the 1920s.[12]
The area was first settled in the 1790s by theLenape (Delaware) people, who were forced west from their tribal lands in theMid-Atlantic region (all ofNew Jersey, southeasternNew York, easternPennsylvania, and northernDelaware) to new lands in present-dayOhio and easternIndiana. The Lenape founded several towns along theWhite River, including Munsee Town,[13] near the site of present-day Muncie. The termMunsee denotes a subgroup of the Lenape people.[14]
In 1818, the area's native tribes ceded their lands to the federal government under the terms of theTreaty of St. Mary's and agreed to move farther west by 1821. New settlers began to arrive in what becameDelaware County, Indiana,c. 1820, shortly before the area's public lands were formally opened for purchase. The small trading village of Munsee Town, renamed Muncietown, was selected as the Delaware County seat and platted in 1827.[15] On January 13, 1845, Indiana's governor signed legislation passed by theIndiana General Assembly to shorten the town's name to Muncie. Soon, a network of roads connected Muncie to nearby towns, adjacent counties, and to other parts of Indiana. TheIndianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad, the first to arrive in Muncie in 1852, provided the town and the surrounding area with access to larger markets for its agricultural production, as well as a faster means of transporting people and goods into and out of the area.[16][17]
Muncie incorporated as a town on December 6, 1854, and became an incorporated city in 1865.[18][19] John Brady was elected as the city's first mayor. Muncie's early utility companies also date to the mid-1860s, including the city'swaterworks, which was established in 1865.[20]
After theAmerican Civil War, two factors helped Muncie attract new commercial and industrial development: the arrival of additional railroads from the late 1890s to the early 1900s and the discovery of abundant supplies ofnatural gas in the area.[21] Prior to the discovery of nearby natural-gas wells and the beginning of thegas boom in Muncie in 1886, the region was primarily an agricultural area, with Muncie serving as the commercial trading center for local farmers.[22]
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TheIndiana gas boom of the 1880s ushered in a new era of prosperity to Muncie. Abundant supplies of natural gas attracted new businesses, industries, and additional residents to the city.[24][25] Although agriculture continued to be an economic factor in the region, industry dominated the city's development for the next 100 years.[21] One of the major manufacturers that arrived early in the city's gas-boom period was the Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company, which was renamed theBall Corporation in 1969. TheBall brothers, who were searching for a new site for their glass manufacturing business that was closer to an abundant natural-gas supply, built a new glass-making foundry in Muncie, beginning its glass production on March 1, 1888. In 1889 the company relocated its metal manufacturing operations to Muncie.[26][27]
In addition to several other glass factories, Muncie attracted iron and steel mills. Kitselman Steel & Wire Company was the largest employer in Indiana in 1900 with 11,000 employees; it later became Indiana Steel & Wire.[28] Others includedRepublic Iron and Steel Company and the Midland Steel Company. (Midland becameInland Steel Company and later moved toGary, Indiana.)Indiana Bridge Company was also a major employer.[29] By the time the natural gas supply from theTrenton Gas Field had significantly declined and the gas boom ended in Indianac. 1910, Muncie was well established as an industrial town and a commercial center for east-central Indiana, especially with several railroad lines connecting it to larger cities and the arrival of automobile industry manufacturing after 1900.[30][31]
Numerous civic developments also occurred as a result of the city's growth during the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s, when Muncie citizens built a new city hall, a new public library, and a new high school. The city'sgasworks also began operations in the late 1870s.[21] TheMuncie Star was founded in 1899 and theMuncie Evening Press was founded in 1905.[15][32] Anew public library, which was aCarnegie library project, was dedicated on January 1, 1904, and served as the main branch of the city's public library system.[33]
The forerunner toBall State University also arrived at the turn of the twentieth century. Eastern Indiana Normal School opened in 1899, but it closed after two years. Several subsequent efforts to establish a private college in Muncie during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries also failed, but one proved to be very successful. After the Ball brothers bought the school property and its vacant buildings and donated them to the State of Indiana, the Indiana State Normal School, Eastern Division, the forerunner to Ball State University, opened in 1918. It was named Ball Teachers College in 1922, Ball State Teachers College in 1929, and Ball State University in 1965.[31][34][35]
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, in tandem with the gas boom, Muncie developed an active cultural arts community, which included music and art clubs, women's clubs, self-improvements clubs, and other social clubs. Hoosier artistJ. Ottis Adams, who came to Muncie in 1876, later formed an art school in the city with fellow artistWilliam Forsyth. Although their school closed with a year or two, other art groups were established, most notably the Art Students' League (1892) and the Muncie Art Association (1905).[36]
By the early twentieth century several railroads served Muncie, which helped to establish the city as a transportation hub. The Cincinnati, Richmond and Muncie Railroad (later known as theChesapeake and Ohio Railway) reached Muncie in 1903. The Chicago, Indiana, and Eastern Railroad (acquired by a subsidiary of thePennsylvania Railroad system) and the Chicago and Southeastern (sometimes called the Central Indiana Railroad) also served the city. In addition to the railroads, Muncie's roads connected to nearby towns and an electricinterurban system, which arrived in the early 1900s, linked it to smaller towns and larger cities, includingIndianapolis andFort Wayne, Indiana, andDayton, Ohio.[37]
With the arrival of the auto manufacturing and the related auto parts industry after the turn of the twentieth century, Muncie's industrial and commercial development increased as the population grew. During World War I, local manufacturers joined others around the county in converting their factories to production of warmateriel.[38] In the 1920s Muncie continued its rise as an automobile-manufacturing center, primarily due to its heavy industry and skilled labor force. During this time, the community also became a center ofKu Klux Klan activity. Muncie's Klan membership was estimated at 3,500 in the early 1920s. Scandals within the Klan's leadership, divisions among its members, and some violent confrontations with their opponents damaged the organization's reputation. Increasing hostility toward the Klan's political activities, beliefs, and values also divided the Muncie community, before its popularity and membership significantly declined by the end of the decade.[39]
Muncie residents also made it through the challenges of theGreat Depression, with the Ball brothers continuing their role as major benefactors to the community by donating funds for construction of new facilities at Ball State andBall Memorial Hospital.[40] (The hospital, which opened in 1929, later affiliated withIndiana University Health.[41]) TheWorks Progress Administration (WPA) also provided jobs such as road grading, city sewer improvements, and bridge construction.[40]
In the 1920s,Robert andHelen Lynd led a team of sociologists in a study of a typical middle-American community. The Lynds chose Muncie as the locale for their field research, although they never specifically identified it as "Middletown" the fictional name of the town in their study. Muncie received national attention after the publication of their book,Middletown: A Study in Contemporary American Culture (1929). The Lynds returned to Muncie to re-observe the community during theDepression, which resulted in a sequel,Middletown in Transition: A Study in Cultural Conflicts (1937).[42] The Lynds' Middletown study, which was funded by the Rockefeller Institute of Social and Religious Research, was intended to study "the interwoven trends that are the life of a small American city."[43]
The Lynds were only the first to conduct a series of studies in Muncie. TheNational Science Foundation funded a third major study that resulted in two books by Theodore Caplow,Middletown Families (1982) andAll Faithful People (1983). Caplow returned to Muncie in 1998 to begin another study, Middletown IV, which became part of aPublic Broadcasting Service documentary titled "The First Measured Century", released in December 2000. The Ball State Center for Middletown Studies continues to survey and analyze social change in Muncie.[44] A database of Middletown surveys conducted between 1978 and 1997 is available online from theAssociation of Religion Data Archives (ARDA).[45] Due to the extensive information collected from the Middletown studies during the twentieth century, Muncie is said to be one of the most studied cities of its size in the United States.[12]
In addition to being called a "typical American city", as the result of theMiddletown studies, Muncie is known as Magic City or Magic Muncie, as well as the Friendly City.[46]
During World War II, the city's manufacturers once again turned their efforts to wartime production. Ball State and Muncie's airport also trained pilots for theU.S. Navy.[40] The postwar era was another period of expansion for Muncie, with continued growth and development of industries, construction of new homes, schools, and businesses. A population boom brought further development, especially from 1946 to 1965.[15]
Since the 1950s and 1960s, Muncie has continued as an education center in the state and emerged as a regional health center. As enrollment at Ball State increased, new buildings were erected on the college's campus. Ball Memorial Hospital also expanded its facilities.[47] However, by the 1960s, industrial trends had shifted. Beginning in the 1970s several manufacturing plants closed or moved elsewhere, while others adapted to industrial changes and remained in Muncie. Ball Corporation, for example, closed its Muncie glass manufacturing facilities in 1962 and its corporate headquarters relocated toBroomfield, Colorado in 1998.[48][49] Muncie was also home to other manufacturing operations, including Warner Gear (a division ofBorgWarner),Delco Remy,General Motors, Ontario Corporation, A. E. Boyce Company, andWestinghouse Electric, among others.[50]
In 2017, the Muncie Community Schools system was declared a "distressed political subdivision", and put in direct control of the state government. In 2018, the school district was reformed and a new board was appointed by Ball State's Board of Trustees.[51]
In 2021, following theFall of Kabul and the U.S. withdrawal from theWar in Afghanistan, several Afghan refugees arrived inCamp Atterbury, nearEdinburgh, Indiana. Munsonian members of the nationwide organization, Afghan Women's and Kids' Education and Necessities (AWAKEN) formed the Muncie Afghan Refugee Resettlement Committee (MARRC) to help Afghan refugees resettle in Muncie.[52][53] Afghan refugees began arriving in Muncie soon after.[54] As the AWAKEN organization wanted to continue work directly in Afghanistan, the temporary MARRC organization was closed. However, the presence of 130 Afghan refugees in Muncie in late 2022 compelled continued work in medical advocacy, employment, legal aid, and financial and reading education. A new organization, Refugee Alliance of Delaware County (RADC), was formed to welcome any refugees in Muncie and help them in establishing and building a new life.[55]
The black population in Muncie grew from 3.7% in 1890 to 5.6% in 1920 to 13.2% in 2013. Muncie's Riverside and Normal City neighborhoods had imposedsundown town rules by 1904, meaning "that unknown negroes who are found on the streets after nightfall are liable to be severely dealt with."[56] In 1920, the city had the fifth-largest black population in Indiana, with 2,054 black residents. Two major parades were held by theKu Klux Klan in 1922 and 1924, with the mayor and police chief attending the 1924 parade.
The first black police officer in Muncie was hired in 1899, and the city's first black police chief took his position in 1995. The first black teacher in the city was hired in 1952, and the first black principal was appointed in 1956.[57]
According toHurley Goodall, the first serious black political candidate in Muncie was Wayne Brooks, who ran for the Republican nomination for mayor in 1934. Ray Armstrong was elected as the first black member of the city council in 1951, and Alice McIntosh was elected as the first black female member of the city council in 1983. Goodall was the first black person elected to the city's school board and later to represent the area in the state house. No other black person served on Muncie's school board after Goodall's election to the state house until Carl Kizer Jr.'s appointment to the board in 1993. The school board became majority black for the first time after the 2008 election.[57][58][59][60]
According to the 2010 census, Muncie has a total area of 27.392 square miles (70.94 km2), of which 27.2 square miles (70.45 km2),or 99.3%, is land and 0.192 square miles (0.50 km2),or 0.7%, is water.[61]
Muncie has ahumid continental climate (Köppen climate classification:Dfa), experiencing four distinct seasons.
| Climate data for Muncie, Indiana (Delaware County Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) | 77 (25) | 84 (29) | 88 (31) | 98 (37) | 106 (41) | 101 (38) | 99 (37) | 96 (36) | 93 (34) | 81 (27) | 71 (22) | 106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 57.5 (14.2) | 61.6 (16.4) | 71.7 (22.1) | 81.0 (27.2) | 88.2 (31.2) | 92.6 (33.7) | 93.2 (34.0) | 91.8 (33.2) | 90.0 (32.2) | 83.4 (28.6) | 69.8 (21.0) | 60.2 (15.7) | 94.7 (34.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 36.0 (2.2) | 39.9 (4.4) | 50.9 (10.5) | 64.1 (17.8) | 74.6 (23.7) | 83.0 (28.3) | 85.8 (29.9) | 84.1 (28.9) | 78.8 (26.0) | 66.3 (19.1) | 52.3 (11.3) | 40.7 (4.8) | 63.0 (17.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 31.9 (−0.1) | 41.7 (5.4) | 53.5 (11.9) | 64.4 (18.0) | 73.3 (22.9) | 76.0 (24.4) | 73.7 (23.2) | 67.2 (19.6) | 55.8 (13.2) | 43.9 (6.6) | 33.8 (1.0) | 53.6 (12.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21.3 (−5.9) | 23.9 (−4.5) | 32.5 (0.3) | 43.0 (6.1) | 54.2 (12.3) | 63.6 (17.6) | 66.3 (19.1) | 63.4 (17.4) | 55.7 (13.2) | 45.4 (7.4) | 35.6 (2.0) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 44.3 (6.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −2.7 (−19.3) | 2.1 (−16.6) | 12.5 (−10.8) | 24.7 (−4.1) | 36.3 (2.4) | 47.2 (8.4) | 51.9 (11.1) | 49.5 (9.7) | 39.6 (4.2) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 18.4 (−7.6) | 6.2 (−14.3) | −5.9 (−21.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −29 (−34) | −13 (−25) | −7 (−22) | 10 (−12) | 25 (−4) | 36 (2) | 44 (7) | 39 (4) | 27 (−3) | 18 (−8) | 3 (−16) | −21 (−29) | −29 (−34) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.52 (64) | 2.27 (58) | 3.08 (78) | 3.89 (99) | 4.36 (111) | 4.81 (122) | 4.10 (104) | 3.38 (86) | 3.09 (78) | 2.96 (75) | 3.23 (82) | 2.57 (65) | 40.26 (1,023) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.0 (20) | 6.4 (16) | 3.2 (8.1) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.7 (1.8) | 6.4 (16) | 25.4 (65) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 9.8 | 9.8 | 11.5 | 12.3 | 13.4 | 12.7 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 9.9 | 10.2 | 10.1 | 11.5 | 132.4 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 5.0 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 5.3 | 18.4 |
| Source: NOAA (snow 1981–2010)[62][63][64][65] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 666 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,782 | 167.6% | |
| 1870 | 2,992 | 67.9% | |
| 1880 | 5,219 | 74.4% | |
| 1890 | 11,345 | 117.4% | |
| 1900 | 20,942 | 84.6% | |
| 1910 | 24,005 | 14.6% | |
| 1920 | 36,524 | 52.2% | |
| 1930 | 46,548 | 27.4% | |
| 1940 | 49,720 | 6.8% | |
| 1950 | 58,479 | 17.6% | |
| 1960 | 68,603 | 17.3% | |
| 1970 | 69,082 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 76,460 | 10.7% | |
| 1990 | 71,035 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 67,430 | −5.1% | |
| 2010 | 70,085 | 3.9% | |
| 2020 | 65,194 | −7.0% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 64,923 | [66] | −0.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[67] | |||
As of thecensus of 2000,[8] there were 67,430 people, 27,322 households, and 14,589 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,788.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,076.5/km2). There were 30,205 housing units at an average density of 1,248.9 per square mile (482.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.72%White, 12.97%African American, 0.27%Native American, 0.79%Asian, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 0.67% fromother races, and 1.49% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
There were 27,322 households, out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 19.8% under the age of 18, 24.6% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,613, and the median income for a family was $36,398. Males had a median income of $30,445 versus $21,872 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $15,814. About 14.3% of families and 23.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
As of thecensus[68] of 2010, there were 70,085 people, 27,722 households, and 13,928 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,576.7 inhabitants per square mile (994.9/km2). There were 31,958 housing units at an average density of 1,174.9 per square mile (453.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.0%White, 10.9%African American, 0.3%Native American, 1.2%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.8% fromother races, and 2.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.3% of the population.
There were 27,722 households, of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.5% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.8% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.85.
The median age in the city was 28.1 years. 17.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 27.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 20.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
As of thecensus[69] of 2020, there were 65,194 people, 26,692 households and 6,179 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,577.0 inhabitants per square mile (995.0/km2). There were 31,183 housing units at an average density of 1,129.8 per square mile (436.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.0%White, 11.6%African American, 0.3%Native American orAlaskan Native, 1.5%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander, 2.1% fromother races and 6.5% were from two or more races.Hispanic andLatino of any race were 4.2% of the population.
There were 26,692 households, of which 16.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% weremarried couples living together, 35.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 8.5% were non-families. 61.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 3.09.
Just over half (50.1%) of the population had never been married, 29.6% weremarried and notseparated, 5.7% werewidowed, 13.1% weredivorced, and 1.6% were separated.
The median age of the city was 28.8. 4.4% of residents were under the age of 5, 16.2% were under 18 years, 83.8% were age 18 or older, and 14.0% were age 65 or older. 5.8% of the population wereveterans.
The most common language spoken at home wasEnglish with 95.5% speaking it at home, 1.7% spokeSpanish at home, 1.4% spoke anAsian orPacific Islander language at home, 1.3% spoke anotherIndo-European language at home, and 0.1% spoke some other language. 2.6% of the population wereforeign born.
The median household income in Muncie as of the 2019-2023American Community Survey was $43,395 and the per capita income was $24,582, 38.1% and 33.9% less than the state respectively. 29.6% of the population were in poverty, including 32.6% of residents under the age of 18. The poverty rate for the town was 17.3% higher than that of the state. 18.6% of the population wasdisabled and 8.7% had nohealthcare coverage. 89.0% of the population had attained ahigh school or equivalent degree, 19.7% had attendedcollege but received no degree, 37.3% had attained anAssociate's degree or higher, 25.7% had attained aBachelor's degree or higher, and 11.6% had agraduate orprofessional degree. 20.4% had no degree. 53.2% of Muncie residents were employed, working a mean of 34.0 hours per week. The median gross monthly rent in Muncie was $867 and the owner occupied housing unit rate was 51.5%. 4,491 housing units were vacant at an average density of 162.7 per square mile (62.8/km2). The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $92,000, over $109,000 less than that of the state as a whole. The median selected monthly owner costs with a mortgage was $987 versus $419 without a mortgage.
In the 2020 census, Muncie's economy received the most sales in retail, which accounted for 52.9% of all sales. 58.01% of the entire population was in the civilian labor force including 55.1% of females. The mean travel time to work was 19 minutes.
From its early days as a regional trading center for the surrounding agricultural community to its first wave of industrial development brought on by theIndiana gas boom in the mid-1880s, Muncie has retained its ties to an industrial economy, and to a lesser extent its agricultural roots. In addition, the arrival of the forerunner to Ball State in the early twentieth century contributed to Muncie's development as an educational center, while Ball Memorial Hospital, established in 1929, led to the city's reputation as a healthcare center for east-central Indiana.
Muncie's major industrial development included glass manufacturing, iron and steel mills, and automobile manufacturing and auto parts factories. Among its early major employers was the Ball Corporation, established by theBall brothers ofBuffalo, New York, who opened a glass factory in Muncie in 1888.[27] Other notable manufacturers in addition to the Ball Corporation with operations in Muncie have includedBorgWarner, The Broderick Company (a former division ofHarsco), Dayton-Walther Corporation,Delco Remy,General Motors,New Venture Gear,Hemingray Glass Company, Ontario Corporation, A. E. Boyce Company, Indiana Steel and Wire, andWestinghouse Electric.[50]
Changing industrial trends caused shifts in the city's economic development. As in many mid-sized cities in theRust Belt,deindustrialization, which began in the 1960s, impacted Muncie's economy. Several manufacturing plants closed or moved elsewhere. From 2001 to 2011, Muncie lost thousands of jobs[70] as the city continued transitioning from ablue-collar workforce to awhite-collarservice economy primarily based on health care, education, and retail.[71]
Muncie has attracted some new manufacturers, while older factories have been converted to other industrial uses. In 2009, Muncie became the U.S. headquarters for Brevini Wind, an Italian-based company that manufactures gearboxes for wind turbines.[70][72] In 2011, locomotive makerProgress Rail (a subsidiary ofCaterpillar Inc) opened in a former Westinghouse facility that had been vacant since 1998.[72][73]
The local economy is a controversial topic among Munsonians. While many older unemployed or underemployed residents strongly identify with the manufacturing identity of the city, newer residents identify with the city's shift towards educational and health services.[74] Contention is greatest among residents living in the once-industrialized sections of the city's south side, as much of the economic growth over that last few decades has taken place on Muncie's north side.[75][76][77] The city also struggles to retain college graduates. Despite Ball State's presence, only 32.2 percent of Delaware County's working-age adults (ages 25–64) hold a two-year or four-year college degree, which is below the national average.[78]
The first decade of the 21st century saw a cultural shift toward local businesses and economic empowerment, boosted by the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership[79] and the residents, patrons, and business owners of the downtown community. In 2007, Muncie was rated the most affordable college town in America by real estate companyColdwell Banker.[80] In 2015,Forbes ranked Muncie 27th among small places for business and careers and 18th for cost of doing business.[81]First Merchants Corporation is based in Muncie, and the firstScotty's Brewhouse location opened in the city in 1996.[82]
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As of July 2022[update] (compare to October 2014), the largest employers in the city were:
| Employer | 2022 Employees[83] | 2014 Employees[84] |
|---|---|---|
| Ball State University | 3,379 | 3,741 |
| IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital | 2,613 | 3,000 |
| Muncie Community Schools | 650 | 926 |
| Navient | 633 | 650 |
| Magna Powertrain | 571 | 325 |
| Concentrix | 555 | 675 |
| First Merchants Corporation | 551 | 526 |
| Meridian Health Services | 550 | 610 |
| Youth Opportunity Center | 516 | 276 |
| Progress Rail | 500 | 281 |
| City of Muncie | 465 | 465 |
| Delaware County Government Offices | 452 | 522 |
| Muncie Sanitary District | 143 | 531 |
TheDavid Owsley Museum of Art collection, which includes over 11,000 works, has been in the Fine Arts Building on the Ball State University campus since 1935. The Horizon Convention Center, located downtown, offers 47,000 square feet (4,400 m2) of exhibition space and houses the Muncie Children's Museum.[85] The city also has a large group of independent art galleries.[86]
Three of the city's largest performing arts centers belong to Ball State University: the 3,581-seatEmens Auditorium, the 600-seat Sursa Performance Hall, and the 410-seat University Theatre.[87][88] Downtown performing arts spaces include the Muncie Civic Theatre and Canan Commons, an outdoor amphitheater and greenspace that opened in 2011. In addition, the Muncie Ballet and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra are prominent in the city's arts community.
Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, just north of downtown along theWhite River, is a cultural heritage museum featuring exhibits and programs focusing on nature, local history, and art. The 40-acre (16-hectare) campus includes historic homes that were once owned by the Ball family, themed gardens, outdoor sculptures, and a portion of the White River Greenway. TheCardinal Greenway, Indiana's longestrail trail project, stretches 60 miles (97 km) fromRichmond toMarion, Indiana. Designated aNational Recreation Trail in 2003, it is part of theAmerican Discovery Trail. The Ball State campus is home toChristy Woods, an 18-acre (7.3-hectare)arboretum, three greenhouses, and theWheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank.[89]
Passing of the Buffalo andAppeal to the Great Spirit are public sculptures in Muncie byCyrus Edwin Dallin.
Muncie's music scene has been home to such acts asBrazil, Everything, Now!, and Archer Avenue (ex-Margot & the Nuclear So and So's). Muncie MusicFest.[90] Muncie also has a network of craft beer enthusiasts.[91]
Muncie is home to theNCAA Division IBall State Cardinals which is a member of theMid-American Conference. Notable sports includefootball (played atScheumann Stadium),men's basketball (played atJohn E. Worthen Arena), andbaseball (played atBall Diamond).
Muncie was once home to theMuncie Flyers, also known as the Congerville Flyers, the city's professional football team from 1905 to 1925. The Muncie team was one of the eleven charter members ofNational Football League (NFL). It played in the league in 1920 and 1921.[92]
Muncie was also home to theMuncie Flyers, aminor league hockey team. The team played in theInternational Hockey League for a single season in 1948–1949.[93]
Muncie Central High School is home to the Muncie Fieldhouse, the fifth-largest high school gym in the United States.
The county government is a constitutional body and is granted specific powers by theConstitution of Indiana, and by theIndiana Code.
As a second class city in Indiana (pop. 35,000 to 599,999), Muncie is governed by a Mayor and a nine-member city council as well as a city clerk and city judge.[94] City elections for Mayor, city council, city judge, and city clerk are held in odd years immediately preceding presidential elections (2015, 2019, etc.). The current mayor is Dan Ridenour, a Republican first elected in 2019.[95] The current city clerk is Belinda Munson and the current city judge is Amanda Dunnuck. The nine-members of the city council are divided into six members elected from districts and three members elected at-large. The current members of the city council are:[96]
The majority of Muncie is in theMuncie Community Schools Corporation. Some pieces extend into other school districts, with western parts in theMount Pleasant Township Community School Corporation, a few northwestern parts in theWes-Del Community Schools school district, a small northern part in theDelaware Community School Corporation, and a small eastern part in theLiberty-Perry Community School Corporation.[99] In 2022, Muncie Community Schools had 5,141 students.[100]
Muncie School Corporation-operated elementary schools:
Muncie School Corporation-operated middle schools:
Muncie School Corporation-operated high schools:
Delaware County School Corporation-operated schools (all have postal addresses saying Muncie, Indiana, but all are outside of the city limits):
Other public schools:
Private schools:
TheCowan Community School Corporation operates Cowan Elementary School[120] andCowan High School, which have Muncie postal addresses but are not in the city limits.[121] No part of the Muncie city limits is in the Cowan district.[99]
As part of the Indianapolis market, Muncie receives Indianapolis' network affiliates. East Central Indiana'sPBS member station,WIPB, is located in Muncie.The Joy of Painting was filmed at WIPB.
Until 1986, Muncie'sWysor Street Depot at 700 East Wysor Street was a passenger train stop on the Chicago-Cincinnati service of Amtrak'sCardinal.[122] Until 1971,Muncie Union Station was a stop on thePenn Central's Indianapolis-Cleveland on the route of the New York Central's formerSouthwestern Limited (St. Louis-New York City) andCleveland Special (Indianapolis-Cleveland).[123][124][125][126]
Freight service is provided byCSX andNorfolk Southern.[127] Railroad equipment supplier Progress Rail opened a manufacturing facility in 2011.[73]
Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) provides 14 fixed bus routes daily, except Sundays.[128]
Note: This list does not include Ball State University graduates. Please seeList of Ball State University alumni for notable alumni.
Muncie has five sister cities, as designated bySister Cities International:[144]
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Indiana Demographics was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).
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