Crawford County is a county in Indiana, United States, on the Ohio River in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 10,526 at the 2020 census and covers 308.72 square miles (799.6 km2) centred near 38°17′N 86°28′W.
English is the county seat and its postal code is 47118. The county has five incorporated towns — Alton, English, Leavenworth, Marengo and Milltown — alongside about two dozen unincorporated communities and nine civil townships. Crawford County observes Eastern Time.
Towns & Villages in Crawford County
The table below lists every settlement carried on the county’s directory, incorporated towns first. “Unincorp.” marks a small unincorporated community or crossroads with no municipal government; most have no ZIP code of their own and use a neighboring post office.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | City · seat | — | — | 47118 |
| Marengo | Town | — | — | 47140 |
| Milltown | Town | — | — | 47145 |
| Leavenworth | Town | — | — | 47137 |
| Alton | Town | — | — | — |
| Eckerty | Unincorp. | — | — | 47116 |
| Sulphur | Unincorp. | — | — | 47174 |
| Taswell | Unincorp. | — | — | 47175 |
| Grantsburg | Unincorp. | — | — | 47123 |
| Artist Point | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Beechwood | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Brownstown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cape Sandy | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Carefree | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Curby | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Deuchars | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Fredonia | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hogtown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Jericho | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Magnolia | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mifflin | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pilot Knob | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Riceville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Riddle | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Schooler Point Landing | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Sulphur Springs | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Switzer Crossroads | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Temple | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| West Fork | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wickliffe | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wyandotte | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Wikipedia’s own community listing does not map these places to specific townships, so the Township column above is left blank rather than guessed; the county’s nine civil townships are covered separately below.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Boone | — | — |
| Jennings | — | — |
| Johnson | — | — |
| Liberty | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — |
| Patoka | — | — |
| Sterling | — | — |
| Union | — | — |
| Whiskey Run | — | — |
Individual township population figures and settlement assignments were not available from a verified source at the time of writing, so they are left blank rather than estimated.
ZIP Codes
- 47118 — English
- 47140 — Marengo
- 47145 — Milltown
- 47137 — Leavenworth
- 47175 — Taswell
- 47116 — Eckerty
- 47174 — Sulphur
- 47123 — Grantsburg
Crawford County has eight ZIP codes in all. Alton and the county’s smaller unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and use the ZIP code of the nearest listed town above.
Geography
Crawford County lies along the Ohio River in the south-central part of Indiana. Like the rest of south-central Indiana, its terrain is made up of wooded hills, many of them steep, and the county is known nationally for its cave systems, including Marengo Cave and Wyandotte Cave. Of the county’s 308.72 square miles, 305.64 square miles are land and 3.08 square miles are water.
Crawford County borders Orange County and Washington County to the north, Harrison County to the east, Meade County, Kentucky, across the Ohio River to the south, Perry County to the southwest, and Dubois County to the west.
Demographics
Crawford County’s population was 10,526 at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural county with no single large city. Marengo is the county’s largest incorporated town; English, the seat, is the second hub of local government and commerce. The county’s median household income runs below the Indiana median of $69,477, consistent with its rural, hill-country economy. With 305.64 square miles of land, the county’s overall density works out to roughly 34 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Timber, small-scale farming and tourism drive the local economy. The county’s show caves — Marengo Cave, a National Natural Landmark open for public tours, and the historic Wyandotte Caves — draw visitors year-round, and the surrounding Harrison-Crawford State Forest along the Ohio River supports hiking, hunting and outdoor recreation. Local government and school employment centers on English, the county seat.
History
Crawford County was organized on January 5, 1818, and takes its name from either William H. Crawford, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury at the time, or Colonel William Crawford, a Revolutionary War soldier — sources differ, and the county has never formally settled which. Its rugged, cave-riddled terrain kept large-scale farming limited through the 19th century, and the discovery and commercial opening of Wyandotte Cave and Marengo Cave in the 1800s turned tourism into a lasting part of the county’s economy well before most of rural southern Indiana had any.
Getting There
Interstate 64 crosses the northern part of the county, with an interchange near Marengo and Leavenworth. State Roads 62, 64 and 66 connect the county’s towns.
- Louisville, Kentucky — about 40 miles southeast
- Corydon, Indiana — about 15 miles east
- Paoli, Indiana — about 20 miles north
- Tell City, Indiana — about 25 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Louisville, Kentucky.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Crawford County, Indiana?
It is in south-central Indiana on the Ohio River, bordering Kentucky across the river to the south.
What is the population of Crawford County?
10,526 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Crawford County?
308.72 square miles (799.6 km2), of which 305.64 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Crawford County?
English is the county seat.
How many towns are in Crawford County?
Five incorporated towns — Alton, English, Leavenworth, Marengo and Milltown — plus roughly two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Crawford County?
Eight ZIP codes, including 47118 (English), 47140 (Marengo) and 47145 (Milltown).
What is Crawford County known for?
Its show caves, Marengo Cave and Wyandotte Cave, both major tourist draws in a county otherwise defined by steep, wooded hill country.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.