Fulton County is a county in Indiana, United States, roughly halfway between South Bend and Indianapolis in the state’s northern lakes region. It had a population of 20,480 at the 2020 census and covers 371.26 square miles (961.6 km2) — 368.39 square miles of land and 2.88 square miles of water — centred near 41°02′N 86°16′W.
Rochester is the county seat, and its postal code is 46975. The county has one city, three incorporated towns, and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities, spread across eight civil townships. Fulton County sits in the Eastern time zone and carries FIPS code 18049.
Towns & Villages in Fulton County
Rochester is the county’s only city and its seat; Akron, Fulton, and Kewanna are incorporated towns. The rest of the list below is unincorporated — crossroads, former rail stops, and lake communities that never organised as towns. Populations and township assignments that could not be independently verified are marked with a dash rather than guessed.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | City · seat | — | — | 46975 |
| Akron | Town | — | — | 46910 |
| Kewanna | Town | — | — | 46939 |
| Fulton | Town | — | — | 46931 |
| Athens | Unincorp. | — | — | 46912 |
| Delong | Unincorp. | — | — | 46922 |
| Grass Creek | Unincorp. | — | — | 46935 |
| Leiters Ford | Unincorp. | — | — | 46945 |
| Tiosa | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Talma | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Richland Center | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Green Oak | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mount Zion | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pershing | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Marshtown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bruce Lake Station | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lake Bruce | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Big Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Guise Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
Fulton County is divided into eight civil townships: Aubbeenaubbee, Henry, Liberty, Newcastle, Richland, Rochester, Union, and Wayne. Reliable 2020 township-level population figures and settlement-to-township assignments were not available from a verifiable source at the time of writing, so they are omitted rather than estimated.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Aubbeenaubbee | — | — |
| Henry | — | — |
| Liberty | — | — |
| Newcastle | — | — |
| Richland | — | — |
| Rochester | — | — |
| Union | — | — |
| Wayne | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 46975 — Rochester
- 46910 — Akron
- 46939 — Kewanna
- 46931 — Fulton (PO Box delivery)
- 46945 — Leiters Ford (PO Box delivery)
- 46922 — Delong (PO Box delivery)
- 46935 — Grass Creek (PO Box delivery)
- 46912 — Athens (PO Box delivery)
Smaller unincorporated places such as Tiosa, Talma, Richland Center, and the lake communities along Lake Bruce use the ZIP code of the nearest post office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Fulton County sits in a lake-dotted stretch of north-central Indiana, part of the state’s glacial moraine country. Lake Manitou, just east of Rochester, is the county’s largest natural lake and a longtime local recreation draw; the Tippecanoe River crosses the county’s western townships on its way toward the Wabash. Farmland covers most of the remaining land area, broken up by wetlands and small woodlots left behind by the retreating glaciers.
Fulton County borders Marshall County to the north, Kosciusko County to the northeast, Wabash County to the east, Miami County to the southeast, Cass County to the south, Pulaski County to the west, and Starke County to the northwest.
Demographics
Fulton County had a population of 20,480 at the 2020 census, spread across 368.39 square miles of land for a density of roughly 56 people per square mile. Rochester is the largest community by a wide margin, followed by the towns of Akron and Kewanna. Median household income in the county runs below the Indiana median of $69,477, consistent with its largely rural, agricultural economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county’s economy, with corn, soybeans, and livestock operations dominating the townships outside Rochester. Rochester itself is the commercial and institutional hub, home to Fulton County’s government offices, Woodlawn Hospital, and the county’s public school corporations. Lake Manitou draws seasonal residents and boaters each summer, supporting a small tourism and lakefront-property sector. The Fulton County Historical Society Museum, north of Rochester, preserves the county’s farming and small-town heritage, including a large Round Barn Museum collection.
History
Fulton County was organized in 1836 and named for Robert Fulton, the inventor associated with commercially successful steamboat travel. Rochester was platted as the county seat soon after organization and grew around its position on early stagecoach and later rail routes through north-central Indiana. Lake Manitou, near Rochester, has been a settled recreation and fishing site since the 19th century and remains the county’s best-known natural landmark.
Getting There
US 31 runs north–south through the county past Rochester, connecting it to South Bend and Indianapolis; State Road 14 and State Road 25 cross the county east–west and northwest–southeast. Distances from Rochester:
- Plymouth — 18 miles north
- Logansport — 24 miles south
- Warsaw — 22 miles east
- Winamac — 20 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is South Bend International Airport, about an hour’s drive north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fulton County, Indiana?
It is in north-central Indiana, between South Bend and Indianapolis, with Rochester as its county seat.
What is the population of Fulton County?
20,480 at the 2020 census.
How big is Fulton County?
371.26 square miles (961.6 km2), including 2.88 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Fulton County?
Rochester is the county seat.
How many towns are in Fulton County?
One city (Rochester) and three incorporated towns — Akron, Fulton, and Kewanna — plus about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Fulton County?
46975 (Rochester), 46910 (Akron), 46939 (Kewanna), 46931 (Fulton), and several PO Box-only codes serving smaller communities.
What lake is in Fulton County?
Lake Manitou, just east of Rochester, is the county’s largest natural lake and a well-known local recreation site.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.