# Dubois County, Indiana

Dubois County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 43,637. The county seat is Jasper. Dubois County is now the sole county of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

Dubois County was formed on December 20, 1818, from Orange, Pike and Perry counties. It is named for Toussaint Dubois, a Frenchman who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. Dubois was a merchant who lived mainly in Vincennes. He drowned in 1816 while crossing the Little Wabash River near Lawrenceville, Illinois.
In 1818, as many as half of the residents of the county died of milk sickness. The plant contains the potent toxin temetrol, which is passed through the milk. The migrants from the East were unfamiliar with the Midwestern plant and its effects.
Dubois County switched to the Central Time Zone on April 2, 2006, and returned to the Eastern Time Zone on November 4, 2007; both changes were controversial as Huntingburg wished to remain on Central Time while Jasper never wanted to leave Eastern Time.
The original county seat was Portersville. In 1830, the county seat was moved south to Jasper.

## Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 435.33 square miles (1,127.5 km$^2$), of which 427.27 square miles (1,106.6 km$^2$) (or 98.15%) is land and 8.06 square miles (20.9 km$^2$) (or 1.85%) is water.

### Cities

* Jasper
* Huntingburg

### Towns

* Birdseye
* Ferdinand
* Holland

### Census-designated places

* Dubois

### Other unincorporated places

* Ireland
* Bretzville
* Celestine
* Crystal
* Cuzco
* Duff
* Ellsworth
* Haysville
* Hillham
* Johnsburg
* Kellerville
* Kyana
* Mentor
* Millersport
* Portersville
* Schnellville
* Saint Anthony
* Saint Henry
* Saint Marks
* Zoar

### Townships

* Bainbridge
* Boone
* Cass
* Columbia
* Ferdinand
* Hall
* Harbison
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Madison
* Marion
* Patoka

### Adjacent counties

* Martin County (north)
* Orange County (northeast)
* Crawford County (east)
* Perry County (southeast/CT Border)
* Spencer County (south/CT Border)
* Warrick County (southwest/CT Border)
* Pike County (west)
* Daviess County (northwest)

### Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Jasper have ranged from a low of 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.81 inches (71 mm) in February to 5.29 inches (134 mm) in May.

## Politics

Prior to 1980, Dubois County was heavily Democratic voting Republican only 3 times since 1888 although George McGovern came within 272 votes of winning it in 1972. But starting with the 1980 election it has been reliably Republican although Jimmy Carter came within 75 votes of winning it in 1980 and Bill Clinton came within 341 votes of winning it in 1996.
United States presidential election results for Dubois County, Indiana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 14,983 | 69.81% | 5,944 | 27.69% | 537 | 2.50% |
| 2020 | 15,033 | 68.94% | 6,292 | 28.85% | 481 | 2.21% |
| 2016 | 13,365 | 66.51% | 5,389 | 26.82% | 1,341 | 6.67% |
| 2012 | 11,654 | 62.75% | 6,522 | 35.12% | 395 | 2.13% |
| 2008 | 9,526 | 51.23% | 8,748 | 47.05% | 319 | 1.72% |
| 2004 | 11,726 | 68.71% | 5,210 | 30.53% | 130 | 0.76% |
| 2000 | 10,134 | 65.36% | 5,090 | 32.83% | 280 | 1.81% |
| 1996 | 6,840 | 44.85% | 6,499 | 42.62% | 1,911 | 12.53% |
| 1992 | 6,785 | 42.44% | 5,878 | 36.76% | 3,326 | 20.80% |
| 1988 | 9,995 | 62.28% | 5,954 | 37.10% | 99 | 0.62% |
| 1984 | 9,391 | 62.77% | 5,423 | 36.25% | 148 | 0.99% |
| 1980 | 6,775 | 47.46% | 6,700 | 46.93% | 801 | 5.61% |
| 1976 | 6,383 | 45.97% | 7,385 | 53.19% | 116 | 0.84% |
| 1972 | 6,637 | 50.36% | 6,365 | 48.30% | 177 | 1.34% |
| 1968 | 5,865 | 43.24% | 6,725 | 49.58% | 973 | 7.17% |
| 1964 | 3,800 | 27.26% | 10,114 | 72.56% | 25 | 0.18% |
| 1960 | 5,117 | 38.32% | 8,214 | 61.51% | 22 | 0.16% |
| 1956 | 6,942 | 57.19% | 5,177 | 42.65% | 20 | 0.16% |
| 1952 | 6,538 | 53.47% | 5,658 | 46.27% | 31 | 0.25% |
| 1948 | 4,295 | 39.30% | 6,564 | 60.07% | 69 | 0.63% |
| 1944 | 4,855 | 47.78% | 5,273 | 51.89% | 34 | 0.33% |
| 1940 | 4,729 | 44.01% | 5,992 | 55.77% | 24 | 0.22% |
| 1936 | 3,011 | 29.07% | 6,927 | 66.87% | 421 | 4.06% |
| 1932 | 2,357 | 23.58% | 7,547 | 75.50% | 92 | 0.92% |
| 1928 | 3,301 | 35.18% | 6,044 | 64.41% | 39 | 0.42% |
| 1924 | 2,708 | 30.53% | 5,651 | 63.71% | 511 | 5.76% |
| 1920 | 3,738 | 46.18% | 4,238 | 52.35% | 119 | 1.47% |
| 1916 | 1,492 | 32.07% | 3,072 | 66.02% | 89 | 1.91% |
| 1912 | 666 | 14.81% | 3,059 | 68.01% | 773 | 17.19% |
| 1908 | 1,397 | 28.88% | 3,344 | 69.12% | 97 | 2.00% |
| 1904 | 1,413 | 30.77% | 3,119 | 67.92% | 60 | 1.31% |
| 1900 | 1,362 | 29.65% | 3,192 | 69.48% | 40 | 0.87% |
| 1896 | 1,215 | 28.64% | 3,005 | 70.82% | 23 | 0.54% |
| 1892 | 1,081 | 26.12% | 2,847 | 68.80% | 210 | 5.07% |
| 1888 | 1,220 | 28.88% | 2,986 | 70.67% | 19 | 0.45% |

## Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 41,889 people, 16,133 households, and 11,459 families residing in the county. The population density was 98.0 inhabitants per square mile (37.8/km$^2$). There were 17,384 housing units at an average density of 40.7 per square mile (15.7/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.1% white, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 3.1% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 58.0% were German, 9.0% were American, 8.1% were Irish, and 6.7% were English.
Of the 16,133 households, 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.0% were non-families, and 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $64,286. Males had a median income of $42,078 versus $31,411 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,801. About 6.9% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

### 2020 census

Dubois County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 38,137 | 87.4% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 190 | 0.44% |
| Native American (NH) | 55 | 0.13% |
| Asian (NH) | 247 | 0.56% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 5 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 857 | 2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4,146 | 9.5% |

## Economy
### Personal income

The median income for a household in the county was $44,169, and the median income for a family was $50,342. Males had a median income of $32,484 versus $23,526 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,225. About 2.90% of families and 6.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.30% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

### Tourism

Patoka Lake is located along the county's eastern borders with both Crawford and Orange Counties. Several annual national bass fishing tournaments are held there.
The Hoosier National Forest is located in the county. Part of it is protected.

## Education

Public education in Dubois County is administered through four school corporations:
* Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools
* Southeast Dubois School Corporation
* Southwest Dubois School Corporation
* Northeast Dubois County School Corporation
High Schools
* Jasper High School (Greater Jasper Schools, Jasper)
* Forest Park High School (Southeast Dubois Schools, Ferdinand)
* Southridge High School (Southwest Dubois Schools, Huntingburg)
* Northeast Dubois High School (Northeast Dubois Schools, Dubois)

## Infrastructure
### Major highways

* Interstate 64
* U.S. Route 231
* Indiana State Road 56
* Indiana State Road 64
* Indiana State Road 145
* Indiana State Road 161
* Indiana State Road 162
* Indiana State Road 164
* Indiana State Road 264
* Indiana State Road 545