Source: STATS Indiana and the Indiana Department of Health, 2003

Natural increase is the difference between births and deaths in the county or region. Obviously, an area will increase in population if there are more births than deaths in a year (absent the influence of migration, discussed elsewhere in this report). The table shows the number of births and deaths for each of the Central Indiana counties, for the region, for the suburban part of the region and for Indiana. Indianapolis’ natural increase is larger than that of the suburban counties (7,198 compared to 5,351 in the eight suburban counties). Thus, if only natural increase were considered, Indianapolis would still be growing faster than the suburban counties.

Natural increase varies from place to place. Most of that variation is caused by the birth rate. Indiana’s overall fertility rate (births per 1,000 women ages 15-44)4 was 67. Among the counties, the highest rates are found in LaGrange (96.1), Adams (94.1) and Daviess (84.3) counties, where large Amish communities live. The lowest rates occurred in Monroe (37.1), Delaware (47.5) and Tippecanoe (54.8) counties, the sites of Indiana’s largest college campuses, with large numbers of child-deferring young women. 5 The fertility rate for Marion County (78.9) was considerably higher than the state average and was the highest among Central Indiana counties.  

4 Please note the difference between the fertility rate and the birth rate. The fertility rate is the number of births per 1,000 women ages 15-44. The birth rate, which is a much lower number, indicates number of births per 1,000 in total population. Both numbers are useful.
5 Indiana Natality Report – 2004, Table 31, Indiana Department of Health.
 

   
     
  Indianapolis is doing well in comparison with simlar cities in other statesIndianapolis' high birth rateNumber of births, 2003Indianapolis neighborhoods: birth rates varyEducational attainment of mothersMigration explains the growth of the suburbs  
  PopulationThe population basicsIndianapolis' population is growing slowlyThe Central Indiana region grew rapidlyNatural increase and migration: two ways the population growsIndianapolis is younger than the state or the nationIndianapolis is becoming more diverse  
  Most Central Indiana growth is in surburban areas rather than the urban coreIndianapolis will remain the hub of Central IndianaThe trend is toward more older peopleBlacks are the largest minority, while Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic groupThe suburbs remain whiteEthnic, racial and cultural groupsHispanic social integrationHistoric sidebar