Knox County is a county in Indiana, United States, on the Illinois state line along the Wabash River. It had a population of 36,282 at the 2020 census and covers 524.04 square miles (1,357.2 km2), of which 516.03 square miles (1,336.5 km2) is land, centred near 38°40′N 87°26′W.
Vincennes is the county seat, and its postal code is 47591. The county has 2 cities, 7 towns and 4 census-designated places spread across 10 civil townships, and it observes Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Knox County
Knox County’s settlement pattern is anchored by Vincennes, the county seat and its oldest city, with Bicknell the only other incorporated city. Seven incorporated towns and four census-designated places (CDPs) round out the map, alongside a long list of small unincorporated communities and rural crossroads that carry historic names but no formal government. Type key: City · seat, City, Town, CDP, Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vincennes | City · seat | Vincennes | — | 47591 |
| Bicknell | City | — | — | 47512 |
| Bruceville | Town | — | — | 47516 |
| Decker | Town | Decker | — | 47524 |
| Edwardsport | Town | — | — | 47528 |
| Monroe City | Town | — | — | 47557 |
| Oaktown | Town | — | — | 47561 |
| Sandborn | Town | — | — | 47578 |
| Wheatland | Town | — | — | 47597 |
| Emison | CDP | — | — | — |
| Freelandville | CDP | — | — | — |
| Ragsdale | CDP | — | — | — |
| Westphalia | CDP | — | — | — |
| Bandmill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Beal | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bloods Wood Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Busseron | Unincorp. | Busseron | — | — |
| Cantaloupe | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Decker Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Five Points | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Fritchton | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Indian Creek Settlement | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Iona | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Johnstown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Little Rock | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Orrville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pond Creek Mills | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Purcell | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ridgleville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Saint Thomas | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Sisson | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Twin Bridges | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Verne | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Vollmer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wagner Station | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Willis | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Vincennes | — | Vincennes |
| Decker | — | Decker |
| Busseron | — | — |
| Harrison | — | — |
| Johnson | — | — |
| Palmyra | — | — |
| Steen | — | — |
| Vigo | — | — |
| Washington | — | — |
| Widner | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 47591 — Vincennes (county seat, also serves the surrounding rural townships)
- 47512 — Bicknell
- 47516 — Bruceville
- 47524 — Decker
- 47528 — Edwardsport
- 47557 — Monroe City
- 47561 — Oaktown
- 47578 — Sandborn
- 47597 — Wheatland
Unincorporated communities and CDPs without a post office of their own use the ZIP code of the nearest incorporated town.
Geography
Knox County sits in Indiana’s southwest corner, on verdant, low-rolling hills largely given over to agriculture, with the highest elevations reaching roughly 620 feet. The Wabash River forms the county’s entire western edge, separating Indiana from Illinois, and Busseron Creek and Maria Creek drain much of the interior toward it. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, marking the 1779 capture of Fort Sackville, sits on the riverbank in Vincennes.
Knox County borders Greene County to the northeast, Daviess County to the east, Pike County to the southeast, and Gibson County to the south, all in Indiana. Sullivan County lies to the north, and the Wabash River separates Knox County from a pair of Illinois counties to the west.
Demographics
Knox County’s population was 36,282 at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 70 people per square mile of land. Vincennes is by far the largest community and the only city of significant size besides Bicknell, the county’s second-largest incorporated place. The county’s rural, agriculture-based economy leaves median household income below the Indiana median of $69,477.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans, and the county’s historic orchards and cherry trees — remains a mainstay of the rural economy outside Vincennes. Vincennes University, a public two-year and four-year institution founded in 1801, is the county’s largest employer and the anchor of the seat’s economy, alongside Good Samaritan Hospital. The county also has a long history of oil and natural-gas extraction in its rural townships.
History
Knox County was organized in 1790 as the fourth county of the Northwest Territory, making it Indiana’s oldest county; it is named for Henry Knox, the first U.S. Secretary of War. Vincennes, founded by French traders decades earlier, served as the territorial capital of the Indiana Territory from 1800 to 1813. In 1779, George Rogers Clark’s militia captured the British-held Fort Sackville at Vincennes in a decisive campaign of the American Revolutionary War in the west.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 41 and 50 cross at Vincennes, and State Roads 61 and 67 serve the county’s smaller towns. Approximate distances from Vincennes:
- Terre Haute — about 40 miles north
- Evansville — about 50 miles south
- Bloomington — about 65 miles northeast
- Indianapolis — about 120 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Evansville Regional Airport, roughly 50 miles south of Vincennes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Knox County, Indiana?
It sits in Indiana’s southwest corner, on the Wabash River along the Illinois state line.
What is the population of Knox County?
36,282 at the 2020 census.
How big is Knox County?
524.04 square miles (1,357.2 km2), of which 516.03 square miles (1,336.5 km2) is land.
What is the county seat of Knox County?
Vincennes, Indiana’s oldest city and the former capital of the Indiana Territory.
How many towns are in Knox County?
Two cities, seven towns, and four census-designated places, plus numerous small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Knox County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, led by 47591 for Vincennes.
Why is Knox County historically significant?
Vincennes was the capital of the Indiana Territory and the site of George Rogers Clark’s 1779 capture of Fort Sackville, a turning point of the Revolutionary War in the western frontier.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.