City · Blackford County, Indiana

Hartford City, Indiana

Hartford City is a city in Blackford County, Indiana. It has 5,794 residents. Hartford City, Indiana has a quality-of-life score of 16 out of 100 (very low), ranking #13,124 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Indiana it ranks #330 of 353 cities and towns. It ranks best on firearm deaths (low), social associations (high) and home price to income ratio (low). It ranks worst on adult smoking (high), adult obesity (high) and frequent mental distress (high).

16Very low

Quality-of-life score: #13,124 of 15,651 cities and towns
Indiana: #330 of 353 in IN
Population: 5,794 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 1,492.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 1832242

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 69 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety37#9,924/15,637
Economy4#15,027/15,631
Housing80#2,977/14,977
Health5#14,769/15,609
Healthcare6#14,638/15,650
Environment48#8,103/15,453
Education36#10,066/15,649
Infrastructure5#14,880/15,650
Community33#10,431/15,651
Leisure & amenities46#8,499/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Hartford City, Indiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Blackford County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Firearm deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Indiana 14.6 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100k2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionBlackford County value
Social associations · high17.7 /10k
96/100Indiana 11.8 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBlackford County value
Home price to income ratio · low2.0×
92/100Indiana 3.0×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Pharmacies · high2.6 /10k
91/100Indiana 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBlackford County value
Grocery stores · high2.6 /10k
90/100Indiana 1.3 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsBlackford County value
Public libraries · high1.7 /10k
88/100Indiana 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesBlackford County value

Weaknesses

Adult smoking · high25.7%
2/100Indiana 17.8%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Adult obesity · high47.4%
2/100Indiana 39.7%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · high22.8%
3/100Indiana 19.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Dentists · low17 /100k
3/100Indiana 61 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBlackford County value
Public EV charging ports · low0.0 /10k
3/100Indiana 3.2 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergyBlackford County value
New business applications · low7.7 /1k
5/100Indiana 12.9 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauBlackford County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
6.7% (2015-2019) → 14.8% (2020-2024)
+8.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.6% (2015-2019) → 82.9% (2020-2024)
+7.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateWorsening
16.5% (2015-2019) → 20.5% (2020-2024)
+4 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Median household incomeImproving
$34,850 (2015-2019) → $41,752 (2020-2024)
+20%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Poverty rateWorsening
15.9% (2015-2019) → 19.5% (2020-2024)
+3.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Home price to income ratioWorsening
1.7× (2015-2019) → 2.0× (2020-2024)
+15%5 yearsCensus table B25077US 3.5× → 4.1×

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Hartford City, Indiana improved on 2 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 12 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+7.3 points75.6% → 82.9%
Household income+20%$34,850 → $41,752

Declined1

Uninsured+8.1 points6.7% → 14.8%

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of Hartford City, Indiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	22.4 min2015-2019	21.6 min2020-2024	−0.9 min	Within the margin of error	58%
Bachelor's degree or higher	12.1%2015-2019	13.4%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	37%
Broadband subscriptions	75.6%2015-2019	82.9%2020-2024	+7.3 points	Improved	45%
Child poverty rate	16.5%2015-2019	20.5%2020-2024	+4 points	Within the margin of error	23%
Effective property tax rate	0.63%2015-2019	0.66%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	11%
High school diploma or higher	88.8%2015-2019	90.5%2020-2024	+1.7 points	Within the margin of error	55%
Home price to income ratio	1.7×2015-2019	2.0×2020-2024	+0.3×	Within the margin of error	64%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4562015-2019	0.4722020-2024	+0.016	Within the margin of error	37%
Median household income	$34,8502015-2019	$41,7522020-2024	+20%	Improved	33%
Poverty rate	15.9%2015-2019	19.5%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Within the margin of error	17%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	29.7%2015-2019	30.3%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	50%
Rent-burdened households	49.0%2015-2019	51.7%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	46%
Unemployment rate	7.5%2015-2019	5.2%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	84%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	6.7%2015-2019	14.8%2020-2024	+8.1 points	Declined	5%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Hartford City, Indiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Hartford City, Indiana in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Hartford City, Indiana itself moved −3.5 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

5,794 residents (±412)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,717 households (±175)

Hartford City, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $25k29%779
$25k–50k31%843
$50k–75k16%†433

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,717 households (±175)

Hartford City, Indiana
Indiana share

Own66%1,792
Rent34%925

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−6.0 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,175 workers (±226)

Hartford City, Indiana
Indiana share

Drive alone73%1,593
Carpool20%†437
Public transit0.0%0

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Blackford County, the county holding most of Hartford City's residents.

Blackford County has 231 employer establishments, 194 for every 10,000 residents (0.78× the US rate of 248; 0.86× Indiana's), with 2,639 paid employees at an average annual pay of $50,904. The Census Bureau also counts 622 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 231; 622 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 194; US 248 · Indiana 226
Paid employees: 2,639
Average annual pay: $50,904; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Blackford County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	16	13.5	0.87×About typical	127	$107,142	50
Ambulatory health care services	15	12.6	0.61×Fewer than typical	165	$54,267	22
Restaurants and other eating places	15	12.6	0.69×Fewer than typical	323	$13,684	—
Religious organizations	14	11.8	2.12×More than typical	53	$16,019	—
Truck transportation	14	11.8	2.33×More than typical	99	$46,293	24
Gasoline stations	10	8.4	2.60×More than typical	69	$20,667	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	7	5.9	1.34×Too few to compare	13	$36,692	14
Limited-service restaurants	7	5.9	0.73×Too few to compare	202	$12,832	—
Building equipment contractors	6	5.1	0.84×Too few to compare	16	$40,875	7
Full-service restaurants	6	5.1	0.66×Too few to compare	105	$16,638	—
Grocery and convenience stores	6	5.1	1.70×Too few to compare	96	$18,198	—
Lessors of real estate	6	5.1	0.41×Too few to compare	20	$23,850	51

Rank places for an industry Open Blackford County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 11,881 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Hartford City, Indiana: $0 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $2,007
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

-468.9FY2017
3.2FY2021

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Hartford City, Indiana, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Hartford City is mostly in Blackford County.

See federal money in Blackford County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Hartford City, Indiana is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Marlin A. StutzmanR-IN-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 3.0%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Blackford County27100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Blackford County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1832242

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends