Hancock County is a county in Indiana, United States, on the eastern edge of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It had a population of 79,840 at the 2020 census and covers 307.02 square miles (795.2 km2), of which 306.02 square miles is land, centred near 39°49′N 85°46′W.
Greenfield is the county seat and its postal code is 46140. The county holds one city, seven towns, and a handful of unincorporated communities spread across nine civil townships. Hancock County sits in the Eastern time zone and carries FIPS code 18059.
Towns & Villages in Hancock County
Hancock County has one incorporated city, seven incorporated towns, and roughly two dozen smaller unincorporated communities and subdivisions. Two of the towns, Cumberland and Shirley, straddle the county line and also have addresses in Marion and Henry counties. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community or subdivision with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield | City · seat | Center / Brandywine | 23,488 | 46140 |
| Cumberland | Town | Vernon | — | 46229 |
| Fortville | Town | Vernon | — | 46040 |
| McCordsville | Town | Vernon | — | 46055 |
| New Palestine | Town | Sugar Creek | — | 46163 |
| Shirley | Town | Jackson | — | 47384 |
| Spring Lake | Town | Sugar Creek | — | 46163 |
| Wilkinson | Town | Jackson | — | 46186 |
| Carrollton | Unincorp. | Blue River | — | — |
| Charlottesville | Unincorp. | Brandywine | — | 46117 |
| Cleveland | Unincorp. | Blue River | — | — |
| Eden | Unincorp. | Brown | — | — |
| Maxwell | Unincorp. | Green | — | 46154 |
| Mount Comfort | Unincorp. | Center | — | — |
| Philadelphia | Unincorp. | Brandywine | — | — |
| Warrington | Unincorp. | Vernon | — | — |
| Bowman Acres | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Brookville Heights | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Carriage Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Colonial Village | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cooper Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Denny Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Eastgate | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Gem | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Helmcrest | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Milners Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mohawk | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Nashville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pleasant Acres | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Reedville Station | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Schildmeier Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Stringtown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Sugar Hills | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Westland | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Willow Branch | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Woodbury | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Cumberland’s post office town also serves the small crossroads at Nashville, in the same corner of Vernon Township, and Spring Lake sits directly against New Palestine’s south edge, sharing its 46163 ZIP.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Center | — | Greenfield, Mount Comfort |
| Vernon | — | McCordsville, Fortville, Cumberland, Warrington |
| Sugar Creek | — | New Palestine, Spring Lake |
| Brandywine | — | Greenfield (part), Charlottesville, Philadelphia |
| Jackson | — | Wilkinson, Shirley |
| Green | — | Maxwell |
| Blue River | — | Carrollton, Cleveland |
| Brown | — | Eden |
| Buck Creek | — | rural, no incorporated place |
ZIP Codes
- 46140 — Greenfield
- 46040 — Fortville
- 46055 — McCordsville
- 46163 — New Palestine (also serves Spring Lake)
- 46117 — Charlottesville
- 46186 — Wilkinson
- 46154 — Maxwell (PO Box only)
- 46229 — Cumberland (shared with Marion County)
- 47384 — Shirley (shared with Henry County)
Unincorporated crossroads and subdivisions without their own ZIP use the nearest post office town above.
Geography
Hancock County lies on the flat till plain east of Indianapolis, drained by Sugar Creek, Blue River, and Brandywine Creek. The terrain is almost entirely level farmland, with the county’s small amount of water concentrated in farm ponds and the creek channels rather than any lake.
Madison County borders it to the north, Henry County to the east, Shelby County to the south, Marion County to the west, and Hamilton County to the northwest. Rush County lies to the southeast.
Demographics
Hancock County had 79,840 residents at the 2020 census. Greenfield, the seat, is by far the largest community at 23,488; McCordsville and Fortville, both growing suburbs on the county’s western edge near Indianapolis, are the next-largest incorporated places. Indiana’s statewide 2023 median household income was $69,477; Hancock County, as a commuter county for the Indianapolis metro, generally runs above that state figure. Population density is roughly 261 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Hancock County’s economy mixes row-crop farming in its eastern and southern townships with suburban commerce and light industry along the Interstate 70 corridor near Greenfield and Cumberland. Hancock Regional Health, based in Greenfield, is one of the county’s largest employers. McCordsville and Fortville, both within commuting distance of Indianapolis, have added retail and logistics growth as the metro area has expanded eastward. Greenfield hosts the Riley Festival each October, honoring poet James Whitcomb Riley, who was born in the city.
History
Hancock County was organized on March 1, 1828, from land taken from Madison County, and named for John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Greenfield, laid out the same year, became the county seat. Poet James Whitcomb Riley was born in Greenfield in 1849, and the city’s Riley Home and Museum today marks the connection.
Getting There
Interstate 70 crosses the county east–west through Greenfield and Cumberland; U.S. Route 40 (the old National Road) parallels it, and State Road 9 and State Road 234 serve the county’s north–south travel.
- Indianapolis — 20 miles west
- Muncie — 30 miles northeast
- New Castle — 20 miles east
- Shelbyville — 20 miles south
Indianapolis International Airport, about 25 miles southwest of Greenfield, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hancock County, Indiana?
It sits on the eastern edge of the Indianapolis metropolitan area, bordered by Madison, Henry, Shelby, Marion, and Hamilton counties.
What is the population of Hancock County?
79,840 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Hancock County?
307.02 square miles (795.2 km2), of which 306.02 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Hancock County?
Greenfield is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Hancock County?
One city (Greenfield) and seven towns: Cumberland, Fortville, McCordsville, New Palestine, Shirley, Spring Lake, and Wilkinson.
What ZIP codes are in Hancock County?
46140, 46040, 46055, 46163, 46117, 46186, 46154, 46229, and 47384.
Who was Hancock County named after?
John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.