INDIANAPOLIS — Population growth is crucial for any state's economy and Indiana is experiencing its best growth in a generation. However, it is growing in a different way than in 2008.
A study from Indiana University found the state increased its population by more than 44,000 people in 2024. It estimates more than 75% of that growth is because of immigrants, most of whom are legally seeking asylum, choosing to move to Indiana.
"This trend has been a pretty abrupt change," said Matt Kinghorn, who conducted the study for the Indiana Business Research Center. "A lot of this is a real uptick in immigration since the pandemic."
In comparison, Kinghorn said 75 percent of Indiana's growth in 2008 was because of the state's birth and death rates.
"Our projections show that in 15 years, Indiana might become a natural decrease state where we will have more deaths than births," Kinghorn said.
The Immigrant Welcome Center on Indianapolis' north side assists people who come to Indiana from other parts of the world such as Central America and the Middle East.
IWC staff member Maria Yuquilima said immigrants often choose to live the American Dream in Indiana for a variety of reasons.
"The avenues of opportunities for safety, something that we take for granted, is something that they're looking for," Yuquilima said. "They have heard that Indiana has those resources. It's welcoming. They feel safe. They feel they have the ability to prosper and contribute."
The study also found Indiana's population boom was not limited to Central Indiana. It reported that 73 of Indiana's 92 counties gained population, the most counties to gain population in one year since 1997.
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