Indianapolis metropolitan area
Metropolitan area in Indiana, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Indianapolis metropolitan area is an 11-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Indiana. Its principal cities are Indianapolis, Carmel, Greenwood, and Anderson.[1] Other primary cities with populations of more than 50,000 include Fishers, Noblesville, and Westfield. Located in Central Indiana, it is the largest metropolitan area entirely within Indiana and the seventh largest in the American Midwest.
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Indianapolis Metropolitan Area | ||
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood, IN MSA | ||
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 Map of Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN CSA
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| Country |  United States | |
| State |  Indiana | |
| Principal cities[1] | ||
| Area | ||
| 6,028.83 sq mi (15,614.6 km2) | ||
| Population (2020)[2] | ||
| • Urban | 1,699,881 (32nd) | |
| • Urban density | 2,353/sq mi (908.4/km2) | |
| • MSA | 2,111,040 (33rd) | |
| • CSA | 2,492,514 (28th) | |
| GDP | ||
| • MSA | $199.198 billion (2023) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Codes | 460xx, 461xx, 462xx, 466xx, 469xx | |
| Area codes | 317, 463, 765, 812, 930 | |
There are two official metropolitan boundaries for the Indianapolis metro area: the Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area (CSA). The two regions are identical except for the addition of three metropolitan areas (Columbus, Kokomo, and Muncie) and six micropolitan statistical areas (Crawfordsville, Greencastle, Greensburg, Seymour, New Castle, and Peru) to the Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie CSA that are not included in the Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood MSA. The population of the MSA was 2,111,040 and the population of the CSA was 2,457,286 as of the 2020 Census.
The Indianapolis metropolitan area is a major center for agribusiness, distribution and logistics, life sciences, manufacturing, and motorsports. In 2021, the gross domestic product of the Indianapolis metropolitan area was (USD) $162.1 billion, among the 30 largest metropolitan economies in the U.S.[4] In 2023, the Indianapolis metropolitan area was home to three Fortune 500 companies and six Fortune 1000 companies. The metropolitan area is home to several higher education institutions, including Anderson University, Butler University, Franklin College, Indiana University Indianapolis, Purdue University in Indianapolis, Marian University, and the University of Indianapolis, among others. Ivy Tech Community College has several campuses throughout the region.
Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the 2020 Census, there were 2,111,040 people residing in the MSA. The racial demographics were 69.6% White, 15.0% Black or African-American, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, 3.9% Asian, 4.5% Other and 6.6% Two or More Races. 8.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.[6]
Counties
| County | Seat | 2025 estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | Indianapolis | 992,196 | 977,203 | +1.53% | 403.01 sq mi (1,043.8 km2) | 2,462/sq mi (951/km2) |
| Hamilton | Noblesville | 387,036 | 347,467 | +11.39% | 402.44 sq mi (1,042.3 km2) | 962/sq mi (371/km2) |
| Hendricks | Danville | 193,510 | 174,788 | +10.71% | 408.78 sq mi (1,058.7 km2) | 473/sq mi (183/km2) |
| Johnson | Franklin | 174,262 | 161,765 | +7.73% | 321.79 sq mi (833.4 km2) | 542/sq mi (209/km2) |
| Madison | Anderson | 135,088 | 130,129 | +3.81% | 452.90 sq mi (1,173.0 km2) | 298/sq mi (115/km2) |
| Hancock | Greenfield | 90,969 | 79,840 | +13.94% | 307.02 sq mi (795.2 km2) | 296/sq mi (114/km2) |
| Boone | Lebanon | 80,689 | 70,812 | +13.95% | 423.25 sq mi (1,096.2 km2) | 191/sq mi (74/km2) |
| Morgan | Martinsville | 74,967 | 71,780 | +4.44% | 409.43 sq mi (1,060.4 km2) | 183/sq mi (71/km2) |
| Shelby | Shelbyville | 45,882 | 45,055 | +1.84% | 412.76 sq mi (1,069.0 km2) | 111/sq mi (43/km2) |
| Brown | Nashville | 15,777 | 15,475 | +1.95% | 316.22 sq mi (819.0 km2) | 50/sq mi (19/km2) |
| Tipton | Tipton | 15,319 | 15,359 | −0.26% | 260.57 sq mi (674.9 km2) | 59/sq mi (23/km2) |
| Total | 2,205,695 | 2,089,653 | +5.55% | 4,118.17 sq mi (10,666.0 km2) | 536/sq mi (207/km2) |
Municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants
- Indianapolis – Pop: 887,642 (2020)
- Fishers – Pop: 101,171 (2021)
- Carmel – Pop: 100,777 (2021)
Municipalities with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants
- Noblesville – Pop: 70,926 (2021)
- Greenwood – Pop: 64,918 (2021)
- Anderson – Pop: 55,130
- Westfield – Pop: 50,630 (2021)
Municipalities with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants
- Lawrence – Pop: 47,866
- Plainfield – Pop: 35,592 (2021)
- Zionsville – Pop: 31,702 (2021)
- Brownsburg – Pop: 30,068 (2021)
- Franklin – Pop: 25,437 (2021)
- Greenfield – Pop: 24,009 (2021)
- Avon – Pop: 22,860 (2021)
- Shelbyville – Pop: 19,048
- Lebanon – Pop: 16,840 (2021)
- Beech Grove – Pop: 14,740
- Speedway – Pop: 12,102
- Martinsville – Pop: 11,669
- Whitestown – Pop: 11,093 (2021)
- Danville – Pop: 10,758 (2021)
- Bargersville – Pop: 10,239 (2021)
Municipalities with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants
- Mooresville – Pop: 9,576
- McCordsville – Pop: 9,524 (2021)
- Elwood – Pop: 8,480
- Cumberland – Pop: 6,182 (2021)
- New Whiteland – Pop: 5,593 (2021)
- Tipton – Pop: 5,275 (2020)
- Alexandria – Pop: 5,067
- Cicero – Pop: 4,891
- Edinburgh – Pop: 4,533
- Whiteland – Pop: 4,303
- Pendleton – Pop: 4,212
- Fortville – Pop: 3,953
- Pittsboro – Pop: 3,188
- Sheridan – Pop: 2,893
- Chesterfield – Pop: 2,504
- Ingalls – Pop: 2,390
- New Palestine – Pop: 2,105
- Lapel – Pop: 2,051
- Edgewood – Pop: 1,885
- Frankton – Pop: 1,831
- Southport – Pop: 1,753
- Arcadia – Pop: 1,680
- Meridian Hills – Pop: 1,673
- Brooklyn – Pop: 1,604
- Warren Park – Pop: 1,531
- Thorntown – Pop: 1,484
- Clermont – Pop: 1,402
- Monrovia – Pop: 1,354
- Morristown – Pop: 1,326
- Princes Lakes – Pop: 1,326
- Trafalgar – Pop: 1,145
- Nashville – Pop: 1,076
- St. Paul – Pop: 1,052
- Clayton – Pop: 1,001
Municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants
- Summitville – Pop: 991
- Morgantown – Pop: 988
- Jamestown – Pop: 939
- Shirley – Pop: 828
- Atlanta – Pop: 740
- Homecroft – Pop: 740
- Windfall – Pop: 696
- Paragon – Pop: 662
- Rocky Ripple – Pop: 625
- Sharpsville – Pop: 553
- Coatesville – Pop: 542
- North Salem – Pop: 525
- Markleville – Pop: 522
- Advance – Pop: 509
- Lizton – Pop: 497
- Wilkinson – Pop: 451
- Williams Creek – Pop: 419
- Amo – Pop: 413
- Orestes – Pop: 411
- Stilesville – Pop: 326
- Fairland – Pop: 316
- Kempton – Pop: 288 (2020)
- Wynnedale – Pop: 238
- Spring Lake – Pop: 218
- Ulen – Pop: 124
- Spring Hill – Pop: 101
- Bethany – Pop: 81
- Country Club Heights – Pop: 78
- Woodlawn Heights – Pop: 78
- Crows Nest – Pop: 75
- North Crows Nest – Pop: 46
- River Forest – Pop: 22
Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area
As of 2023[update], the Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area (CSA) consists of four metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and six micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) covering 20 counties.[1] In 2022, the CSA's population estimate was 2,631,863, ranking as the 27th largest in the U.S.
| Statistical Area | 2025 estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area | 2,205,695 | 2,089,653 | +5.55% | 4,118.17 sq mi (10,666.0 km2) | 536/sq mi (207/km2) |
| Muncie, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (Delaware County) | 113,106 | 111,903 | +1.08% | 395.91 sq mi (1,025.4 km2) | 286/sq mi (110/km2) |
| Columbus, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (Bartholomew County) | 85,729 | 82,208 | +4.28% | 409.52 sq mi (1,060.7 km2) | 209/sq mi (81/km2) |
| Kokomo, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (Howard County) | 83,904 | 83,658 | +0.29% | 293.92 sq mi (761.2 km2) | 285/sq mi (110/km2) |
| New Castle, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Henry County) | 49,137 | 48,914 | +0.46% | 394.83 sq mi (1,022.6 km2) | 124/sq mi (48/km2) |
| Seymour, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Jackson County) | 47,370 | 46,428 | +2.03% | 513.91 sq mi (1,331.0 km2) | 92/sq mi (36/km2) |
| Crawfordsville, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Montgomery County) | 38,954 | 37,936 | +2.68% | 505.44 sq mi (1,309.1 km2) | 77/sq mi (30/km2) |
| Greencastle, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Putnam County) | 37,876 | 36,726 | +3.13% | 482.69 sq mi (1,250.2 km2) | 78/sq mi (30/km2) |
| Peru, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Miami County) | 34,487 | 35,962 | −4.10% | 377.39 sq mi (977.4 km2) | 91/sq mi (35/km2) |
| Greensburg, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area (Decatur County) | 26,576 | 26,472 | +0.39% | 373.32 sq mi (966.9 km2) | 71/sq mi (27/km2) |
| Total | 2,722,834 | 2,599,860 | +4.73% | 7,865.1 sq mi (20,371 km2) | 346/sq mi (134/km2) |
Area codes
Area code 317 covered all of northern and central Indiana until 1948 when area code 219 was created. Central Indiana remained under the 317 banner until 1997 when growth in and around Indianapolis prompted the creation of area code 765; The immediate Indianapolis area remained in the 317 area code, with the more distant counties being placed in the new area code. Due to the increase in assigned numbers, overlay area code 463 for area code 317 was implemented in late 2016, thereby requiring 10-digit dialing.[7]
The 317 area code now covers the Boone, Hancock, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Morgan, and Shelby counties. The other counties in the combined statistical area are in the 765 area code except for those in the southern part of the CSA that are in the 812/930 area codes.
Economy
The gross domestic product of the Indianapolis metropolitan area was (USD) $162.1 billion in 2021, among the 30 largest metropolitan economies in the U.S.[4] In 2025, the Indianapolis area was home to several of Indiana's largest public companies by revenue, including Elevance Health, Eli Lilly and Company, Corteva, Simon Property Group, Elanco, CNO Financial Group, Calumet, Inc., Allison Transmission, Republic Airways Holdings, and First Internet Bancorp.[8] Private companies included the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, OneAmerica Financial, CountryMark,[9] and Lucas Oil Products. Notable subsidiaries headquartered in the area include AES Indiana, Delta Faucet Company, Finish Line, Group 1001, Herff Jones, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Lids Sports Group, Pay Less Super Markets, and Steak 'n Shake.
The Indianapolis area is a global hub for motorsports, specifically American open-wheel car racing.[10] Notable facilities include Anderson Speedway in Anderson, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, and Whiteland Raceway Park in Whiteland, among many others.[11] Racing teams based in the metro area include Andretti Global, Arrow McLaren, Chip Ganassi Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, and Juncos Hollinger Racing in Indianapolis; Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in Carmel, HMD Motorsports and Wayne Taylor Racing in Brownsburg, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in Zionsville, among numerous others.[12] Italian racecar manufacturer Dallara opened a facility in Speedway in 2012.[13] Cadillac F1 is headquartered in Fishers.[14]
More than 40 collegiate fraternities and sororities are headquartered in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, the largest concentration in North America.[15][16]
Education
Colleges and universities
Asterisks (*) denote institutions whose flagship campuses are located outside the Indianapolis MSA. Notable colleges and universities include:
- Anderson University
- Ball State University* (two sites)
- Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary
- Butler University
- Christian Theological Seminary
- College of Biblical Studies*
- Franklin College
- Indiana Bible College
- Indiana Tech*
- Indiana University Indianapolis
- Indiana Wesleyan University* (two sites)
- Ivy Tech Community College (seven sites)
- Marian University
- Oakland City University*
- Purdue Polytechnic Institute* (three sites)
- Purdue University in Indianapolis*
- University of Indianapolis
- Vincennes University*
School districts
Notable public school districts in the Indianapolis MSA include:
- Alexandria Community School Corporation
- Anderson Community School Corporation
- Beech Grove City Schools
- Brownsburg Community School Corporation
- Carmel Clay Schools
- Center Grove Community School Corporation
- Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation
- Danville Community School Corporation
- Franklin Community School Corporation
- Franklin Township Community School Corporation
- Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation
- Hamilton Heights School Corporation
- Hamilton Southeastern Schools
- Indianapolis Public Schools
- Lebanon Community School Corporation
- Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township
- Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township
- Metropolitan School District of Martinsville
- Metropolitan School District of Pike Township
- Metropolitan School District of Warren Township
- Metropolitan School District of Washington Township
- Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township
- Mill Creek Community School Corporation
- Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson United School Corporation
- Noblesville Schools
- North West Hendricks School Corporation
- Perry Township Schools
- Plainfield Community School Corporation
- School Town of Speedway
- Zionsville Community School Corporation
Transportation
Highways
Indiana's "Crossroads of America" moniker is largely attributed to the historical function of the Indianapolis metropolitan area has played as a center for logistics and transportation.
Interstates
The Indianapolis MSA is a major junction on the United States Interstate Highway System, with four primary and two auxiliary highways:
I-65 – Runs to Gary, Indiana, to the north and Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama, to the south
I-69 – Runs to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Lansing and Flint, Michigan, to the north, and Evansville, Indiana, to the south
I-70 – Runs to Dayton and Columbus, Ohio, and Baltimore, Maryland, to the east and St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado, to the west
I-74 – Runs to Cincinnati, Ohio, to the east and Peoria, Illinois, to the west
I-465 – Beltway circling suburban Indianapolis; also known as the USS Indianapolis Memorial Highway
I-865 – East–west connector northwest of Indianapolis in Boone County
US Highways
Indiana state highways
Other notable roads
- Indiana Avenue (Indianapolis) – One of four diagonal streets included in Alexander Ralston's 1821 Plat of Indianapolis, the street became a center for the local African American community and now anchors a cultural district of the same name.
- Meridian Street – A primary north–south route through Marion and Hamilton counties, the street serves as the axis separating east addresses from west addresses.
- Michigan Road – Indiana's first "highway," built in the 1830s and 1840s, running north to Michigan City, Indiana, and south to Madison, Indiana.
- Sam Jones Expressway (Indianapolis) – Expressway between I-465 and I-70, connecting south-central Indianapolis with the site of the former terminal of the Indianapolis International Airport.
- Washington Street (Indianapolis) – A primary east–west street through Marion County, the street follows the route of the National Road for almost all of its length in the city of Indianapolis.
Public transit
Air
The Indianapolis metropolitan area is served by several airports, most under the ownership and operation of the Indianapolis Airport Authority, including Eagle Creek Airpark (EYE), Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (UMP), Indianapolis Regional Airport (MQJ), Hendricks County Airport (2R2), Indianapolis Downtown Heliport (8A4), and the busiest airport in the state, Indianapolis International Airport (IND). In 2022, Indianapolis International served 8.7 million passengers and handled 1.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.[17]
Other airports within the region include:
Rail
Indianapolis Union Station is served by Amtrak's Cardinal, which operates thrice-weekly between Chicago and New York City.
Sports
Professional teams
| Club | Sport | Founded | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | American football | 1984 | NFL | Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Indiana Pacers | Basketball | 1967 | NBA | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| Indiana Fever | Basketball | 2000 | WNBA | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
| Indy Eleven | Soccer | 2013 | USL | Carroll Stadium |
| Indy Fuel | Ice hockey | 2014 | ECHL | Fishers Event Center |
| Indianapolis Indians | Baseball | 1902 | IL (Triple-A) | Victory Field |
Semi-professional teams
| Club | Sport | Founded | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F.C. Indiana | Women's Soccer | 2003 | WPSL | Newton Park |
| Indianapolis AlleyCats | Ultimate | 2012 | AUDL | Grand Park |
College sports (Division I)
Headquartered in Indianapolis, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the preeminent collegiate athletic governing body in the U.S. and Canada, regulating athletes of 1,281 institutions; conferences; organizations; and individuals. The NCAA also organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities and helps more than 450,000 college student-athletes who compete annually in college sports.
Events
The Indianapolis metropolitan area hosts several notable sporting events annually, including the Brickyard 400, Grand Prix of Indianapolis, NHRA U.S. Nationals, NFL Scouting Combine, Big Ten Football Championship Game, the largest half marathon in the U.S.,[18] and the largest single-day sporting event in the world, the Indianapolis 500. The cars competing in the latter race are known as IndyCars as a reference to the event. Indianapolis has also been a frequent host of the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's basketball tournaments. Other major sporting events hosted include Pan American Games X in 1987, Super Bowl XLVI in 2012,[19] and the 2013 International Champions Cup between Chelsea F.C. and Inter Milan.[20]
High school sports are highly competitive in Greater Indianapolis. In 2013, MaxPreps ranked Indianapolis No. 3 in its Top 10 Metro Areas for High School Football.[21]
Notable natives
- Steve Alford
- Philip Warren Anderson
- John Andretti
- Babyface (musician)
- Melvin E. Biddle
- Tim Bogar
- Roger D. Branigin
- James Brewer
- Maria Cantwell
- Rodney Carney
- Ed Carpenter
- Lauren Cheney
- Roosevelt Colvin
- Mike Conley Jr.
- James Dean
- Chris Doleman
- Tandon Doss
- Katie Douglas
- Colonel Eli Lilly
- Steve Ells
- Anthony W. England
- Mike Epps
- Carl Erskine
- Michael L. Eskew
- Carl G. Fisher
- Jared Fogle
- Jake Fox
- Vivica A. Fox
- Brendan Fraser
- Katie Gearlds
- Jeff George
- Eric Gordon
- Jeff Gordon
- John Green
- William Grose
- Nick Hardwick
- Del Harris
- Gordon Hayward
- Alan Henderson
- George Hill
- Tommy Hunter
- JaJuan Johnson
- Mathias Kiwanuka
- Ron Klain
- Adam Lambert
- Courtney Lee
- David Letterman
- Richard Lugar
- Lance Lynn
- George McGinnis
- Nick Martin (American football)
- Zach Martin
- Steve McQueen
- Josh McRoberts
- Brandon Miller
- Rick Mount
- Ryan Murphy (producer)
- Greg Oden
- Jane Pauley
- Madelyn Pugh
- Oscar Robertson
- Courtney Roby
- Walter Bedell Smith
- Brad Stevens
- Tony Stewart
- Drew Storen
- Marc Summers
- Steve Talley
- Jeff Teague
- Jeremy Trueblood
- Kurt Vonnegut
- Herman B Wells
- Jason Whitlock
- David Wolf
- John Wooden
- Mike Woodson
- Lew Wallace
See also
- Great Lakes megalopolis
- List of metropolitan areas in Indiana
- List of Midwestern metropolitan areas
- List of U.S. metropolitan areas with large African-American populations
- List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP per capita
- List of United States metropolitan areas by per capita income
- List of North American metropolitan areas by population
- List of metropolitan areas by GDP over US$100 billion
