Farm operations
1,809
Avg 108 ac / farm
2022 USDA Census IN · FIPS 18039 1,809 farms Top quartile (#3/92) 85% cropland LIGHT CROP-HEAVY
Elkhart County, Indiana - Farm Data
Agricultural and commodity intelligence for Elkhart County. Ranked #3 of 92 counties in Indiana.
195K acres of agricultural land
- Cropland
- 85.0% 166K acres
- Other land
- 15.0% 29K acres
USDA NASS · 2022 Census of Agriculture
Elkhart County received $4.15 in Census government payments per agricultural acre, 0.6× the Indiana county median of $6.68.
According to the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture.
- $4.15
- government payments per agricultural acre
- $6.68
- Indiana county median per acre
- 0.62×
- Indiana median per acre
Payments per acre use the same NASS county table for receipts and acreage. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series.
1,809 farms · $497.8M sales
Elkhart County, Indiana reports 1,809 farms and $497.8M in commodity sales in the 2022 USDA NASS Census of Agriculture, ranking #1954 of 2943 U.S. counties by federal farm program payments. According to the Census extract on PlainFarmData, in-state commodity-sales rank is #3 of 92 counties in Indiana; Census county totals are not a roll-up of USDA ERS state payment series.
- In-state sales rank #3 of 92
- National payments rank #1954 of 2943
- Govt payments / sales ratio 0.2%
Commodity sales
$497.8M
2.9× state median -- Above state median
Federal payments
$810K
0.2% of sales -- Low federal dependence
Net farm income
$177.7M
2022 cash income -- Well above-typical net income
A
Farm economy grade: A -- Elkhart County's net farm income sits at the 95th percentile among 3,046 NASS-reporting counties nationally (2022 Census). Percentile-benchmarked, not a same-state comparison like the tier label above.
What the Elkhart County Farm Data Shows
Elkhart County, Indiana reported 1,809 farm operations in the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, generating $497.8M in total commodity sales and receiving $810K in federal farm program payments. Intensity stamp LIGHT ($4.15/acre); land stamp CROP-HEAVY. Net cash farm income came in at $177.7M. In-state sales rank #3 of 92 in Indiana.
Of 195,094 acres agricultural land, cropland dominates at 165,733 acres (85.0%) - a CROP-HEAVY profile where ARC/PLC eligibility and crop insurance density matter more than pasture-side disaster titles. Federal intensity is LIGHT; pair the ABS payment peers below before treating any single county as representative of Indiana.
Land Use
$4.15 per acre of agricultural land · the median Indiana county receives $6.68. Payments per acre normalise federal support for farm size; both figures come from the same USDA NASS 2022 Census county table.
Total Ag Land
195,094 acres
Cropland
165,733 acres
Avg Farm Size
108 ac
Cropland share of agricultural land 85.0%
165,733 cropland acres · CROP-HEAVY stamp.
Land Use Breakdown
| Category | Acres | Share of Ag Land |
|---|---|---|
| Total agricultural land | 195,094 | 100.0% |
| Cropland | 165,733 | 85.0% |
| Pasture, range, woodland, other | 29,361 | 15.0% |
| Average farm size | 108 | acres / farm |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many farms are in Elkhart County, Indiana?
Elkhart County, Indiana has 1,809 farms (2022 USDA Census). Average farm size 108 acres; land stamp CROP-HEAVY.
What is the total agricultural production value of Elkhart County?
Elkhart County's total commodity sales are $497.8M (2022 Census of Agriculture), ranking #3 among 92 counties in Indiana.
How much federal farm assistance does Elkhart County receive?
Elkhart County received $810K in federal government farm program receipts (2022), stamping LIGHT on NASS payments-per-acre ($4.15/acre) with a CROP-HEAVY land mix.
What is the net farm income in Elkhart County?
Net cash farm income for operations in Elkhart County is $177.7M (2022 Census of Agriculture).
Read with Elkhart County
Nearest NASS federal-payment peers and $/acre poles for Elkhart (LIGHT · CROP-HEAVY), replacing the old fixed Related and same-state alphabetical strip.
LIGHT CROP-HEAVY
Mcnairy County, TN · MID
$810K federal receipts is higher by - than Elkhart; land stamp MIXED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Cumberland County, NJ · HEAVY
$809K federal receipts is lower by $1K than Elkhart; land stamp CROP-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Jim Hogg County, TX · TRACE
$808K federal receipts is lower by $2K than Elkhart; land stamp PASTURE-LED vs CROP-HEAVY.
Saint Martin County, LA · MID
$807K federal receipts is lower by $3K than Elkhart; land stamp CROP-HEAVY vs CROP-HEAVY.
Rusk County (LIGHT $/acre pole)
Rusk sits near Elkhart on payments-per-acre ($4.18) while total receipts differ.
Spencer County (LIGHT $/acre pole)
Spencer sits near Elkhart on payments-per-acre ($4.19) while total receipts differ.
Indiana ERS state roll-up
Elkhart stamps LIGHT · CROP-HEAVY inside Indiana's NASS county table, open the state ERS payment stack next.
Census payments leaderboard (#1954)
Elkhart ranks #1954 of 2943 on NASS federal farm program payments under the LIGHT intensity band.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
What to do with this
Elkhart County, Indiana stamps LIGHT · CROP-HEAVY in the 2022 NASS Census, ranking #1954 of 2943 U.S. counties by federal farm program payments. Three places to go next:
- See how Indiana compares nationally on ERS farm payments and income. Indiana state page
- Browse the full county table to compare payment intensity across the country. All counties
- Understand what actually drives county-level farm payments. Read the guide
County figures (2022 NASS Census of Agriculture) are a separate population from USDA ERS state and national payment series and must not be summed together.
County farm figures on this page are rendered from the USDA NASS 2022 Census of Agriculture, no number is typed in by an editor. Census county totals are not a roll-up of the USDA ERS state payment series. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.