Vanderburgh County is a county in Indiana, United States, forming the core of the Evansville metropolitan area on the Ohio River. It had a population of 180,136 at the 2020 census and covers 233.48 square miles (604.7 km2) centred near 38°01′N 87°35′W.
Evansville is the county seat, and its postal code is 47708. The county holds one incorporated city, more than a dozen small unincorporated communities, and eight civil townships. Vanderburgh County observes Central time and carries FIPS code 18163.
Towns & Villages in Vanderburgh County
Vanderburgh County has a single incorporated city, Evansville, which absorbed most of the county’s historic small towns as it grew. The rest of the list below are unincorporated communities, crossroads, or census-designated places (CDP) that appear on county maps but have no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | City · seat | 117,298 | 47708 (+others) |
| Darmstadt | Unincorp. | — | 47725 |
| McCutchanville | Unincorp. | — | 47725 |
| Saint Wendel | CDP | — | 47725 |
| Saint Joseph | Unincorp. | — | 47720 |
| Highland | CDP | — | 47711 |
| Melody Hill | CDP | — | 47711 |
| Inglefield | Unincorp. | — | 47618 |
| Armstrong | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cypress | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Daylight | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Earle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elliott | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Erskine Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kasson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Knob Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kratzville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mechanicsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mud Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Bank | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smythe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stacer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stringtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
Evansville’s 2020 city population (117,298) leaves roughly 63,000 county residents in the unincorporated places above, most of them inside the city’s built-up fringe rather than in a distinct village core.
Townships
Vanderburgh County is divided into eight civil townships: Armstrong, Center, German, Knight, Perry, Pigeon, Scott, and Union. Indiana’s Statistical Abstract does not publish 2020 population by township for Vanderburgh separately from the city of Evansville, which spans several of them, so current township-level counts are not verifiable here.
| Township | Main settlements |
|---|---|
| Armstrong | Armstrong, Elliott |
| Center | Central Evansville |
| German | Darmstadt, McCutchanville, Saint Wendel, Saint Joseph, Inglefield |
| Knight | North Evansville |
| Perry | East Evansville, Highland, Melody Hill |
| Pigeon | Downtown and west Evansville |
| Scott | Daylight, Erskine Station |
| Union | Rural southeast corner of the county |
ZIP Codes
- 47708 — downtown Evansville post office
- 47710, 47711, 47712, 47713, 47714, 47715, 47720 — other Evansville delivery zones
- 47725 — north Evansville, also serves Darmstadt, McCutchanville, and Saint Wendel
- 47618 — Inglefield
Nearly every address in Vanderburgh County falls within an Evansville ZIP code, since the unincorporated communities were absorbed into the city’s postal delivery network as the metro area grew outward.
Geography
Vanderburgh County sits on the north bank of the Ohio River in southwestern Indiana. The river forms the county’s entire southern border. Pigeon Creek, a tributary of the Ohio, cuts through Evansville itself. The county is Indiana’s eighth-smallest by land area, and its northern half is flat farmland while the southern half, around Evansville, is fully urbanized. Gibson County borders to the north, Posey County to the west, Warrick County to the east, and Henderson County, Kentucky, lies across the Ohio River to the south. See Gibson County, Posey County, Warrick County, and Henderson County, Kentucky.
Demographics
Vanderburgh County had 180,136 residents at the 2020 census, making it Indiana’s eighth-largest county by population despite its small land area. Evansville, the seat, is by far the largest community; Darmstadt is the largest of the unincorporated places. Median household income in the county runs below the Indiana median of $69,477, reflecting Evansville’s older industrial-city income profile. Population density is about 771 people per square mile, among the highest in the state outside the Indianapolis area.
Economy & Local Life
Evansville anchors the county’s economy as a regional hub for health care, banking, and manufacturing. Major employers based in the county include Old National Bank, Berry Global, CenterPoint Energy Indiana South, Deaconess Health System, and Ascension St. Vincent Evansville. The University of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana both draw students from across the tri-state area. Mead Johnson Nutrition traces its roots to Evansville, where the company was founded. The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, one of the largest street festivals in the country, draws crowds to Evansville’s Franklin Street every October.
History
Vanderburgh County was organized on January 7, 1818, from parts of Gibson, Posey, and Warrick counties. It was named for Captain Henry Vanderburgh, a Revolutionary War veteran who served as a judge of the Indiana Territory. Evansville grew quickly as an Ohio River port and rail junction through the 19th century. During the Second World War, Evansville shipyards built more LST landing ships than anywhere else in the country, and the city’s aircraft plant turned out P-47 Thunderbolt fighters.
Getting There
Interstates 64 and 69 both pass through Vanderburgh County, along with U.S. Route 41 and Indiana State Roads 57, 62, and 66. Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) sits inside the county and offers commercial flights. Vanderburgh County has no Amtrak service.
- Henderson, Kentucky — about 11 miles south
- Newburgh, Indiana — about 10 miles east
- Princeton, Indiana — about 27 miles north
- Owensboro, Kentucky — about 35 miles southeast
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Vanderburgh County, Indiana?
It is in southwestern Indiana, on the north bank of the Ohio River across from Henderson County, Kentucky.
What is the population of Vanderburgh County?
180,136 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Vanderburgh County?
233.48 square miles (604.7 km2) of land, making it Indiana’s eighth-smallest county by area.
What is the county seat of Vanderburgh County?
Evansville, Indiana’s third-largest city.
How many towns are in Vanderburgh County?
One incorporated city, Evansville, plus about two dozen unincorporated communities and CDPs.
What ZIP codes are in Vanderburgh County?
Mostly Evansville ZIP codes, including 47708, 47710–47715, 47720, and 47725, plus 47618 for Inglefield.
Why is it called Vanderburgh County?
It was named for Captain Henry Vanderburgh, a Revolutionary War veteran who served as a judge for the Indiana Territory.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.