Elkhart and Goshen receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Elkhart
Goshen
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
67 · Top 22%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 37%
vs89 · Top 33%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs44 · Bottom 41%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs87 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 19%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Elkhart | Goshen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,733 | 34,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,028 | $59,184 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,189 | $28,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,911/sq mi | 1,920/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,500 | $184,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $998 | $1,093 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.2% | 17.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 313 | 61 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 114.4% | -65.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 34.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.0 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.23 | 15.07 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.9% | 35.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 26.7% | 37.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.6% | 58.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Elkhart, IN · Goshen, IN · How this is calculated: methodology