PlainZIP

Elkhart, IN · standard

ZIP Code 46517

Elkhart County, Indiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

23,764
249/sq mi
$56,772
Median income
$177,200
Median home value
15.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Elkhart pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

24th pct
household income, US ZIPs
37th pct
home value, US ZIPs
249
people per sq mi
63%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 46517 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 46517 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana, with 23,764 residents across 95.3 square miles, a density of 249 people per square mile, in the Indiana/Indianapolis time zone.

ZIP 46517 reports a modest median household income of $56,772 (23% below the Indiana average), while per-capita income is $29,231. Local economic indicators show a 16.9% poverty rate alongside 2.8% unemployment. Median home value sits at $177,200 (8% below the state average), median rent at $938 a month, and owner-occupancy at 63.3%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Elkhart County, so you can benchmark 46517 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 46517

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Elkhart, IN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 46517.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 46517, Elkhart, IN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

23,764

Population

95.3

Area (sq mi)

249

People / sq mi

Indiana/Indianapolis

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 46517?

37.6

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

12.9%

Foreign-Born

White 56.6%
African American 11.0%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 30.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$56,772

Median Household Income

-23% vs state

$29,231

Per Capita Income

16.9%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

19.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 46517 ranks nationally

Elkhart, IN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$56,772 24th percentile higher than 24% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 57.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

10,007

Total Housing Units

8,940

Occupied Units

1,067

Vacant Units

2.76

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.3%
Renter 36.7%

$177,200

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$938

Median Rent

1974

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.5%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 46517 have increased 3.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.3% 146
2021 +10.9% 162
2022 +18.5% 192
2023 +9.1% 210
2024 +3.5% 217

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 498 business establishments in ZIP 46517, employing approximately 10,214 people with a combined annual payroll of $532,447,000.

498

Businesses

10,214

Employees

$532.4M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 72 14.5%
Other services (except public administration) 65 13.1%
Manufacturing 64 12.8%
Wholesale trade 53 10.6%
Health care and social assistance 49 9.8%
Accommodation and food services 47 9.4%
Construction 34 6.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 6.0%
Finance and insurance 24 4.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 3.2%
Transportation and warehousing 14 2.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 2.8%
Information 6 1.2%
Educational services 6 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 46517 vs 46516 →

ZIP 46517 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 46517 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 46517 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 46517 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
46516 Elkhart, IN 33,501 4.4 mi
46561 Osceola, IN 13,343 4.9 mi
46514 Elkhart, IN 40,263 6.9 mi
46573 Wakarusa, IN 3,565 6.7 mi
46544 Mishawaka, IN 30,759 7.4 mi
46526 Goshen, IN 30,671 7.7 mi
46545 Mishawaka, IN 25,082 9.0 mi
46530 Granger, IN 30,614 10.4 mi
46553 New Paris, IN 3,428 12.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Elkhart County

46514 standard
Elkhart, IN
Pop: 40,263
46516 standard
Elkhart, IN
Pop: 33,501
46526 standard
Goshen, IN
Pop: 30,671
46528 standard
Goshen, IN
Pop: 26,104
46550 standard
Nappanee, IN
Pop: 12,311
46540 standard
Middlebury, IN
Pop: 11,702

Related Areas

Elkhart County Elkhart, IN Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 46517 in? ▼
ZIP code 46517 (Elkhart) is located in Elkhart County, Indiana. Elkhart County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/elkhart-in.
What is the population of ZIP code 46517? ▼
ZIP code 46517 in Elkhart, IN has a population of 23,764 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 46517? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 46517 is $56,772, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 46517? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 46517 is $177,200, which is 36% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 46517? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 46517 is White at 56.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 30.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 46517? ▼
ZIP code 46517 has 498 business establishments employing approximately 10,214 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 46517? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 46517 are: Retail trade (72), Other services (except public administration) (65), Manufacturing (64). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 46517? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 46517 increased by 3.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 46517? ▼
In ZIP code 46517, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 46517? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 46517 is 19.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 46517? ▼
In ZIP code 46517, approximately 63.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 46517? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 46517 is 16.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.