How it works
Draw a random city in Indiana from the 566 cities and towns in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimates. The draw starts with the 412 that have 500 people or more; Any size brings in the other 154.
Read the full guide
Why the draw is more often a town
Towns outnumber cities almost four to one, and 93 of them are big enough to be cities; Plainfield, the largest, has 38,574 people. Indianapolis, the capital, has 901,116, more than three times Fort Wayne's 275,203.
Fifteen names that point to the wrong county
Lake County has 19 places; Brown, Fayette and Ohio Counties have one each. The County list holds 80 of the 92 counties, the ones with the largest places. Fifteen places are named like a county they are not in: Marion is in Grant County, though Indianapolis is in Marion County, and Jasper is in Dubois County.
- Westfield, in Hamilton County, grew by over 19,000 people between 2020 and 2025, more than Indianapolis did.
Questions and answers
How many cities and towns are in Indiana?
The Census Bureau's 2025 estimates list 566: 119 cities, 446 towns and Indianapolis, which is merged with Marion County. Every one of the 92 counties has at least one.
What is the difference between a city and a town in Indiana?
A town cannot become a city until it has 2,000 people, and a town's council is both its legislative and its executive branch. Six cities now have under 2,000 people; Cannelton, the smallest, has 1,488.
What is the smallest town in Indiana?
New Amsterdam, in Harrison County, with 13 people in the 2025 estimates. River Forest in Madison County has 23 and Alton in Crawford County has 27. In all, 21 Indiana towns have under 100 people.
What is the second largest city in Indiana?
Fort Wayne, in Allen County. Evansville is third with 116,176 people, then Carmel, Fishers and South Bend, each with more than 100,000.