Noble County is a county in Indiana, United States, in the northeastern part of the state near the Michigan border. It had a population of 47,457 at the 2020 census and covers 417.43 square miles (1,081.1 km2) centred near 41°24′N 85°25′W.
Albion is the county seat, and its postal code is 46701. The county has two cities, five incorporated towns, and a number of unincorporated communities, spread across 13 civil townships. Noble County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Noble County
Noble County has seven incorporated municipalities — two cities and five towns — plus a scattering of unincorporated crossroads communities carried over from the county’s township-era settlement pattern. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albion | Town · seat | Albion | — | 46701 |
| Kendallville | City | Wayne | — | 46755 |
| Ligonier | City | Perry | — | 46767 |
| Avilla | Town | Allen | — | 46710 |
| Cromwell | Town | Green | — | 46732 |
| Rome City | Town | Sparta | — | 46784 |
| Wolcottville | Town | Orange | — | — |
| Ari | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bakertown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Brimfield | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Burr Oak | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cosperville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Egans Point | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ege | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Green Center | Unincorp. | Green | — | — |
| Grismore | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Indian Village | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Kimmell | Unincorp. | Green | — | 46760 |
| Laotto | Unincorp. | Allen | — | 46763 |
| Lisbon | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Merriam | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Port Mitchell | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Swan | Unincorp. | Swan | — | — |
| Wakeville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Washington Center | Unincorp. | Washington | — | — |
| Wawaka | Unincorp. | Jefferson | — | 46794 |
| Wayne Center | Unincorp. | Wayne | — | — |
| Wilmot | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wolflake | Unincorp. | Allen | — | 46796 |
“Wakeville Village” on older lists is the same place as Wakeville, a small crossroads in the county’s north; the redundant “Village” has been dropped here.
Townships
Noble County is divided into 13 civil townships, each responsible for local services such as fire protection, cemeteries, and township-level assistance. Population figures by township are not separately published in the sources used for this profile.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | — | Kendallville, Wayne Center |
| Perry | — | Ligonier |
| Albion | — | Albion |
| Allen | — | Avilla, Laotto, Wolflake |
| Elkhart | — | Cosperville |
| Green | — | Cromwell, Kimmell |
| Jefferson | — | Wawaka |
| Noble | — | Indian Village |
| Orange | — | Wolcottville |
| Sparta | — | Rome City |
| Swan | — | Swan |
| Washington | — | Washington Center |
| York | — | Merriam |
ZIP Codes
- 46701 — Albion (also serves Indian Village)
- 46710 — Avilla
- 46732 — Cromwell
- 46755 — Kendallville (also serves Wayne Center)
- 46760 — Kimmell
- 46763 — Laotto
- 46767 — Ligonier
- 46784 — Rome City
- 46794 — Wawaka
- 46796 — Wolflake (PO Box only delivery)
Smaller crossroads such as Ari, Bakertown, Brimfield, Burr Oak, Egans Point, Ege, Green Center, Grismore, Lisbon, Merriam, Port Mitchell, Swan, Wakeville, Washington Center, and Wilmot share a neighboring town’s ZIP code rather than having their own.
Geography
Noble County lies on the moraine-and-lake country of northeast Indiana, left behind by the last glaciation. Small natural lakes — including Sylvan Lake near Rome City and several kettle lakes near Wawaka and Wolcottville — dot the county alongside the Elkhart River, which rises in the county’s northern townships. The Little Elkhart River and several smaller creeks drain the rest of the county toward the St. Joseph River system.
Noble County borders LaGrange County to the north, Steuben County to the northeast, DeKalb County to the east, Allen County to the southeast, Whitley County to the south, Kosciusko County to the southwest, and Elkhart County to the west.
Demographics
Noble County had 47,457 residents at the 2020 census. Kendallville is the largest municipality, followed by Ligonier. Median household income in the county runs below the Indiana median of $69,477, reflecting the area’s manufacturing and agricultural employment base. Population density works out to roughly 116 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing anchors the local economy, led by recreational-vehicle and auto-parts suppliers in and around Kendallville and Ligonier that feed the broader RV-manufacturing corridor centred on nearby Elkhart County. Agriculture — corn, soybeans, and hog and dairy operations — remains important on the county’s rural townships. Noble County REMC and Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville are among the larger local employers. The Noble County Fair, held each summer in Kendallville, is the county’s biggest annual community event.
History
Noble County was authorized by the Indiana General Assembly on February 7, 1835, and organized in 1836, carved from Elkhart, LaGrange, and Allen counties. It was named for Noah Noble, Indiana’s third governor, and his brother James Noble, one of Indiana’s first two U.S. senators. Albion was platted as the county seat in the 1840s after an early rivalry with other townsite proposals. Kendallville grew into the county’s commercial center after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached it in the 1850s, eclipsing Albion in population while the smaller town kept the courthouse.
Getting There
U.S. Route 6 and State Roads 3, 5, and 9 cross the county, with Interstate 69 running along the western edge near Kendallville.
- Fort Wayne — 30 miles southeast
- Elkhart — 25 miles west
- South Bend — 40 miles northwest
- Warsaw — 25 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Noble County, Indiana?
It is in the northeastern part of Indiana, along the Michigan border area, between Fort Wayne and Elkhart.
What is the population of Noble County?
Noble County had a population of 47,457 at the 2020 census.
How big is Noble County?
The county covers 417.43 square miles (1,081.1 km2), of which about 6.59 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Noble County?
Albion is the county seat.
How many towns are in Noble County?
Noble County has two cities (Kendallville and Ligonier) and five incorporated towns (Albion, Avilla, Cromwell, Rome City, and Wolcottville), plus about two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Noble County?
Noble County’s main ZIP codes are 46701 (Albion), 46755 (Kendallville), 46767 (Ligonier), 46710 (Avilla), 46732 (Cromwell), 46784 (Rome City), 46760 (Kimmell), 46763 (Laotto), 46794 (Wawaka), and 46796 (Wolflake).
What is Noble County known for?
It is known for its glacial lakes around Rome City and Wolcottville, and as part of northeast Indiana’s recreational-vehicle manufacturing belt centred on nearby Elkhart County.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.