RANK #148 / 1001 NAT · #10 / 28 IN · POP 66,295
1YR FORECAST: +2.2%
5YR OUTLOOK: +35%
Fairmount, a town within Grant County, Indiana, is notably the hometown of actor James Dean and cartoonist Jim Davis, creator of Garfield. The town embraces this heritage with museums dedicated to both figures and an annual James Dean Festival. Located in central Indiana, Grant County is approximately 90 minutes north of Indianapolis and less than an hour southwest of Fort Wayne. The community offers a blend of small-town atmosphere with access to larger city amenities. The Mississinewa River flows through the county, and outdoor recreation opportunities include the Mississinewa Riverwalk in Marion and access to the Cardinal Greenway, a long rail-trail. Life in Grant County is characterized by a focus on community and affordability. The county is home to several public school corporations, including Eastbrook, Madison-Grant, Marion, Mississinewa, and Oak Hill, as well as higher education institutions like Indiana Wesleyan University and Taylor University. Economically, the county has seen recent investment across various sectors. This includes revitalization projects in downtown areas and efforts to support local businesses and workforce development.
Grant County is one of 145 U.S. counties in this market profile — near the profile average on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +3.7% runs below the profile's typical +4.9%.
See all 145 Heartland Steady Growth counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Harsh climate or flat terrain
Housing is fairly valued at 5.6x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Alliant Energy Solar Project and Battery Energy Storage System
Alliant Energy
|
$300M | Operating |
|
Redfield Solar Project
Treaty Oak Clean Energy
|
$123M | Under Construction |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Grant County ranks #148 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 85/100, putting it in the top tier nationally. Job growth of +1.4% and a median household income of $53,522 point to a county with active economic momentum.
By national standards, Grant County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $122,300, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.44 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $853/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Employers in Grant County are hiring — job growth of +1.4% — but the population is close to flat (-0.1% YoY). Home values moved +3.7% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.16% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Grant County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.