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Dubois County, Indiana

Coordinates: 38°22′N 86°53′W / 38.36°N 86.88°W / 38.36; -86.88
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Dubois County
County
The Dubois County courthouse in Jasper, Indiana
The Dubois County courthouse in Jasper, Indiana
Map of Indiana highlighting Dubois County
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Map of the United States highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°22′N 86°53′W / 38.36°N 86.88°W / 38.36; -86.88
Country United States
State Indiana
FoundedDecember 20, 1818
Named forToussaint Dubois
SeatJasper
Largest cityJasper
Area
 • Total435.33 sq mi (1,127.5 km2)
 • Land427.27 sq mi (1,106.6 km2)
 • Water8.06 sq mi (20.9 km2)  1.85%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total43,637
 • Estimate 
(2023)
43,546 Decrease
 • Density97.4/sq mi (37.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district8th
Indiana county number 19

Dubois County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 43,637.[1] The county seat is Jasper.[2] Dubois County is now the sole county of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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Dubois County was formed on December 20, 1818, from Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It is named for Toussaint Dubois,[3] a Frenchman who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. Dubois was a merchant who lived mainly in Vincennes. He drowned in 1816 while crossing the Little Wabash River near Lawrenceville, Illinois.[4]

In 1818, as many as half of the residents of the county died of milk sickness.[5] The plant contains the potent toxin temetrol, which is passed through the milk.[6] The migrants from the East were unfamiliar with the Midwestern plant and its effects.[7]

Dubois County switched to the Central Time Zone on April 2, 2006, and returned to the Eastern Time Zone on November 4, 2007; both changes were controversial as Huntingburg wished to remain on Central Time while Jasper never wanted to leave Eastern Time.[8][9]

The original county seat was Portersville. In 1830, the county seat was moved south to Jasper.

Geography

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According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 435.33 square miles (1,127.5 km2), of which 427.27 square miles (1,106.6 km2) (or 98.15%) is land and 8.06 square miles (20.9 km2) (or 1.85%) is water.[10]

Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated places

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Townships

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Adjacent counties

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Climate and weather

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Jasper, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[11]
Metric conversion
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in Jasper have ranged from a low of 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.81 inches (71 mm) in February to 5.29 inches (134 mm) in May.[11]

Government

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See also: Government of Indiana

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the 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.[12][13]

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.[12][13]

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some 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 level circuit court.[13]

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.[13]

Dubois County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Republican Larry Bucshon. It is also part of Indiana Senate districts 47 and 48,[14] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 63, 73 and 74.[15]

United States presidential election results for Dubois County, Indiana[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 14,983 69.94% 5,944 27.74% 497 2.32%
2020 15,033 68.94% 6,292 28.85% 481 2.21%
2016 13,365 66.51% 5,389 26.82% 1,341 6.67%
2012 11,654 62.75% 6,522 35.12% 395 2.13%
2008 9,526 51.23% 8,748 47.05% 319 1.72%
2004 11,726 68.71% 5,210 30.53% 130 0.76%
2000 10,134 65.36% 5,090 32.83% 280 1.81%
1996 6,840 44.85% 6,499 42.62% 1,911 12.53%
1992 6,785 42.44% 5,878 36.76% 3,326 20.80%
1988 9,995 62.28% 5,954 37.10% 99 0.62%
1984 9,391 62.77% 5,423 36.25% 148 0.99%
1980 6,775 47.46% 6,700 46.93% 801 5.61%
1976 6,383 45.97% 7,385 53.19% 116 0.84%
1972 6,637 50.36% 6,365 48.30% 177 1.34%
1968 5,865 43.24% 6,725 49.58% 973 7.17%
1964 3,800 27.26% 10,114 72.56% 25 0.18%
1960 5,117 38.32% 8,214 61.51% 22 0.16%
1956 6,942 57.19% 5,177 42.65% 20 0.16%
1952 6,538 53.47% 5,658 46.27% 31 0.25%
1948 4,295 39.30% 6,564 60.07% 69 0.63%
1944 4,855 47.78% 5,273 51.89% 34 0.33%
1940 4,729 44.01% 5,992 55.77% 24 0.22%
1936 3,011 29.07% 6,927 66.87% 421 4.06%
1932 2,357 23.58% 7,547 75.50% 92 0.92%
1928 3,301 35.18% 6,044 64.41% 39 0.42%
1924 2,708 30.53% 5,651 63.71% 511 5.76%
1920 3,738 46.18% 4,238 52.35% 119 1.47%
1916 1,492 32.07% 3,072 66.02% 89 1.91%
1912 666 14.81% 3,059 68.01% 773 17.19%
1908 1,397 28.88% 3,344 69.12% 97 2.00%
1904 1,413 30.77% 3,119 67.92% 60 1.31%
1900 1,362 29.65% 3,192 69.48% 40 0.87%
1896 1,215 28.64% 3,005 70.82% 23 0.54%
1892 1,081 26.12% 2,847 68.80% 210 5.07%
1888 1,220 28.88% 2,986 70.67% 19 0.45%

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18201,168—
18301,77852.2%
18403,632104.3%
18506,32174.0%
186010,39464.4%
187012,59721.2%
188015,99227.0%
189020,25326.6%
190020,3570.5%
191019,843−2.5%
192019,9150.4%
193020,5533.2%
194022,5799.9%
195023,7855.3%
196027,46315.5%
197030,93412.6%
198034,23810.7%
199036,6166.9%
200039,6748.4%
201041,8895.6%
202043,6374.2%
2023 (est.)43,546[17]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]
1790-1960[19] 1900-1990[20]
1990-2000[21] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 41,889 people, 16,133 households, and 11,459 families residing in the county.[22] The population density was 98.0 inhabitants per square mile (37.8/km2). There were 17,384 housing units at an average density of 40.7 per square mile (15.7/km2).[10] The racial makeup of the county was 95.1% white, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 3.1% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.0% of the population.[22] In terms of ancestry, 58.0% were German, 9.0% were American, 8.1% were Irish, and 6.7% were English.[23]

Of the 16,133 households, 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.0% were non-families, and 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.9 years.[22]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $64,286. Males had a median income of $42,078 versus $31,411 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,801. About 6.9% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.[24]

2020 census

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Dubois County Racial Composition[25]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 38,137 87.4%
Black or African American (NH) 190 0.44%
Native American (NH) 55 0.13%
Asian (NH) 247 0.56%
Pacific Islander (NH) 5 0.01%
Other/Mixed (NH) 857 2%
Hispanic or Latino 4,146 9.5%

Economy

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Personal income

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The median income for a household in the county was $44,169, and the median income for a family was $50,342. Males had a median income of $32,484 versus $23,526 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,225. About 2.90% of families and 6.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.30% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Tourism

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Patoka Lake is located along the county's eastern borders with both Crawford and Orange Counties. Several annual national bass fishing tournaments are held there.[26][27][28]

The Hoosier National Forest is located in the county. Part of it is protected.

Education

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Public education in Dubois County is administered through four school corporations:[29]

High Schools

Infrastructure

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Major highways

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Dubois County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 109.
  4. ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co. pp. 556.
  5. ^ "404 Not Found". {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  6. ^ "Abraham Lincoln Biography". Biography.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  7. ^ Daly, Walter J. (2006). "The "Slows": The Torment of Milk Sickness on the Midwest Frontier". Indiana Magazine of History. 102 (1): 29–40. JSTOR 27792690.
  8. ^ "Indianapolis Star". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  9. ^ DOT Moves Five Indiana Counties from Central to Eastern Time Archived May 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Jasper, Indiana". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  12. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  13. ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  14. ^ "Indiana Senate Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  15. ^ "Indiana House Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
  16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  17. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  19. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  20. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  21. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  22. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  23. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  24. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  25. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dubois County, Indiana".
  26. ^ "Patoka Lake". Anglers Channel. August 13, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  27. ^ "Walker Hangs on for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Patoka Lake". Anglers Channel. May 22, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  28. ^ "Patoka Lake Open". Professional Disc Golf Association. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  29. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Dubois County, IN" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 12, 2024. - Text list.
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38°22′N 86°53′W / 38.36°N 86.88°W / 38.36; -86.88

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