Town · Bartholomew County, Indiana

Hope, Indiana

Hope is a town in Bartholomew County, Indiana, part of the Columbus, IN metro area. It has 2,029 residents. Hope, Indiana has a quality-of-life score of 53 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #7,326 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Indiana it ranks #91 of 353 cities and towns. It ranks best on flu vaccinations (high), income inequality (Gini index) (low) and drought exposure (low). It ranks worst on bachelor's degree or higher (low), job growth (low) and depression (high).

53Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #7,326 of 15,651 cities and towns
Indiana: #91 of 353 in IN
Population: 2,029 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 2,130.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 1834744

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 75 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.

Safety73#4,172/15,637
Economy59#6,368/15,631
Housing91#1,366/14,977
Health19#12,711/15,609
Healthcare73#4,288/15,650
Environment50#7,759/15,453
Education30#10,898/15,649
Infrastructure61#6,178/15,650
Community32#10,676/15,651
Leisure & amenities28#11,326/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Hope, Indiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Bartholomew 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

Flu vaccinations · high57.0%
97/100Indiana 47.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteBartholomew County value
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.323
97/100Indiana 0.452United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Drought exposure · low0%
96/100Indiana 19%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAABartholomew County value
Violent crime rate · low65 /100k
95/100Indiana 254 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationBartholomew County value
Home price to income ratio · low2.0×
93/100Indiana 3.0×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Primary care shortage · low0.0
90/100Indiana 7.8United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationBartholomew County value

Weaknesses

Bachelor's degree or higher · low9.5%
6/100Indiana 29.5%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Job growth · low-2.8%
7/100Indiana -0.1%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataBartholomew County value
Depression · high28.6%
11/100Indiana 25.6%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · high20.7%
14/100Indiana 19.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Suicide rate · high21.4 /100k
17/100Indiana 16.1 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataBartholomew County value
Adult obesity · high41.1%
17/100Indiana 39.7%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Trends

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

PopulationFalling
2,474 (2015-2019) → 2,029 (2020-2024)
−18%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
74.2% (2015-2019) → 94.3% (2020-2024)
+20 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$48,155 (2015-2019) → $76,188 (2020-2024)
+58%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Rent as share of incomeImproving
22.3% (2015-2019) → 16.1% (2020-2024)
−6.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Child poverty rateImproving
17.0% (2015-2019) → 12.4% (2020-2024)
−4.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateImproving
13.1% (2015-2019) → 8.9% (2020-2024)
−4.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

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, Hope, Indiana improved on 2 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 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+20 points74.2% → 94.3%
Household income+58%$48,155 → $76,188

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Hope, Indiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.0 min2015-2019	23.5 min2020-2024	−1.5 min	Within the margin of error	65%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.8%2015-2019	9.5%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Broadband subscriptions	74.2%2015-2019	94.3%2020-2024	+20 points	Improved	90%
Effective property tax rate	0.87%2015-2019	0.71%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	49%
High school diploma or higher	89.7%2015-2019	89.5%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Home price to income ratio	1.7×2015-2019	2.0×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	65%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3282015-2019	0.3232020-2024	−0.005	Within the margin of error	55%
Median household income	$48,1552015-2019	$76,1882020-2024	+58%	Improved	90%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	6.4%2015-2019	6.9%2020-2024	+0.5 points	Within the margin of error	40%

“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 Hope, Indiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Hope, 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, Hope, Indiana itself moved +7.5 points in standing on average over the same 8 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

2,029 residents (±536)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (−5.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

2,029 residents (±536)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

White92%1,858
Black0.0%0
Hispanic or Latino2.6%†53
Asian0.5%†10
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races5.3%†108

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,271 residents (±327)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

No high school diploma11%†134
High school or GED43%†551
Some college23%†290
Associate degree14%†175
Bachelor's degree8.8%†112
Graduate degree0.7%†9

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

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

Household income

697 households (±181)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $25k9.3%†65
$25k–50k19%†130
$50k–75k21%†144
$75k–100k19%†134
$100k–150k24%†168
$150k–200k6.5%†45
$200k or more1.6%†11

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $100k–150k (+18.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

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

Owners and renters

697 households (±181)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Own79%554
Rent21%†143

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

133 households (±68)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $7505.3%†7
$750–1,00018%†24
$1,000–1,50062%†82

Home values

554 homes (±161)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Under $150k51%†282
$150k–250k32%†180
$250k–400k14%†75

Age of homes

773 homes (±186)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

2010 or later0.0%0
2000–20097.4%†57
1980–199916%†123

Size of homes

773 homes (±186)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Studio2.5%†19
1 bedroom5.0%†39
2 bedrooms21%†163

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

1,097 workers (±314)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Drive alone83%906
Carpool5.7%†62
Public transit0.0%0
Walk1.6%†17
Bike0.0%0
Work from home10%†112
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+8.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

985 workers (±276)

Hope, Indiana
Indiana share

Under 15 min18%†175
15–29 min46%452
30–44 min25%†247

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Columbus, IN

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 Bartholomew County, the county holding most of Hope's residents.

Bartholomew County has 1,950 employer establishments, 232 for every 10,000 residents (0.93× the US rate of 248; 1.03× Indiana's), with 47,016 paid employees at an average annual pay of $65,245. The Census Bureau also counts 5,156 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,950; 5,156 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 232; US 248 · Indiana 226
Paid employees: 47,016
Average annual pay: $65,245; US $68,342

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

Ambulatory health care services	185	22	1.06×About typical	2,025	$78,276	227
Restaurants and other eating places	141	16.8	0.91×About typical	3,349	$20,841	12
Specialty trade contractors	103	12.3	0.79×Fewer than typical	904	$56,590	334
Lessors of real estate	81	9.6	0.78×Fewer than typical	260	$41,235	652
Limited-service restaurants	70	8.3	1.04×About typical	1,678	$19,150	6
Construction of buildings	63	7.5	0.99×About typical	870	$67,155	180
Religious organizations	62	7.4	1.33×More than typical	535	$23,077	—
Clothing and accessories stores	60	7.1	1.97×More than typical	877	$17,686	47
Offices of physicians	60	7.1	1.10×About typical	860	$111,327	43
Full-service restaurants	56	6.7	0.87×About typical	1,496	$22,611	4
Offices of other health practitioners	52	6.2	1.02×About typical	269	$43,364	105
Services to buildings and dwellings	51	6.1	0.90×About typical	306	$30,660	359

Rank places for an industry Open Bartholomew County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 84,071 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

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

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

See federal money in Bartholomew 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.

Hope, Indiana is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).