Affordable Elkhart Storage Units

What You Should Know About Elkhart, IN

Elkhart is one of the two cities comprising the Elkhart-Goshen metropolitan area. The city of Elkhart is the county seat of Elkhart County. It is about 23 miles east of South Bend via US-20 E. Elkhart is a small country town that makes up only 53,923 (2020 U.S. Census) of the total metro population over 200,000.

The area was first settled by immigration from New England during the 1830s. The downtown Main Street in Elkhart is reminiscent of decades past. The town has an attractive Riverwalk.

What to do in Elkhart, IN

On the city's south side is the central shopping mall called the Concord Mall. The Lerner Theater offers concerts, tour performances of significant shows, special events, and local theatrical productions. It was built in 1924 and underwent an $18 million renovation in 2011.

Music: Each year, during June, the marvelous Elkhart Jazz Fest celebrates its third decade of performances.

Nature: There are nine bike trails throughout the city. The Woodlawn Nature Center has 10 acres of woods, an activity center, and a small natural history museum. The Wellfield Botanic Gardens can be found on North Main Street. It is a 36-acre spread with 20 individually-themed gardens. It offers many public events throughout the year. The Elkhart Environmental Center has the Edible Education Garden, a Reflection Grove, hiking trails, wetlands, a boat launch, and many outdoor activities.

Museums: There are up to 10 special exhibits per year shown at the Midwest Museum of American Art, which has a collection of over 6,000 works of art. The National New York Central Railroad Museum has on display the history of Amtrak, Conrail, New York Central, and Penn Central railroads. The Recreational Vehicle/Motor Home Hall of Fame & Museum is found outside of town on the Indiana Toll Road.

The Ruthmere Museum Campus has a mansion decorated to show how the home was kept during the 1920s when it was occupied by the Beardsleys, descendants of the city's founders. Also part of the Ruthmere Museum Campus is the Havilah Beardsley House, which was restored to match the styles of the 1870s.

The Time Was Museum shows early 20th-century life. The Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum has displays that cover over 80 years of the history of superheroes in comic books, television, and film.

Working in Elkhart, IN

The two primary industries in Elkhart are recreational vehicles and musical instruments. Elkhart is known as the "RV Capital of the World" and "Band Instrument Capital of the World."

Manufacturers of musical instruments all became part of the Conn-Selmer conglomerate. Other industries include boat manufacturers, electronics, manufactured homes, mobile homes, pharmaceuticals, and van-conversion companies. Northern Indian Brass Company (NIBCO) has been making flow control products, such as fire-fighting equipment, for over 100 years.

In 2025, the city had an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which matches the national average. Unemployment peaked at nearly 20% in 2008 after manufacturers such as Bayer left the area. However, the unemployment rate has been declining since, except for the slight upward spike caused by the pandemic in 2020.

The median household income in Elkhart is $49,031 per year, significantly lower than the state's median household income of $69,477 per year and the national median household income of $83,730.

Elkhart Neighborhoods, IN

The median price for a home in Elkhart is $277,000. Here are the best neighborhoods:

Jamestown: This area has the Mishawaka Pilots Club Airport. The median price for a home in this area is $396,444. The average rent is $2,270 and the vacancy rate is 10.6%.

Greenleaf Manor / East Lake Estates: This area has some riverfront properties. The median price for a home in this area is $299,917. The average rent is $1,444 and the vacancy rate is 5.9%.

Simonton Lake: This area has lakefront properties. The median price for a home in this area is $367,448. The average rent is $1,477 and the vacancy rate is 10.7%.

Oakridge: This area has waterfront properties too. The median price for a home in this area is $301,543. The average rent is $1,448 and the vacancy rate is 6.3%.

Elkhart, IN School District

Three school districts serve Elkhart: the Baugo Community Schools, the Concord Community Schools, and the Elkhart Community Schools.

The Baugo schools in the southwest include one elementary school, one intermediate school, one junior high school, and one high school.
The Concord schools on the southeast side have four elementary schools, one intermediate, one junior high school, and one high school.
The Elkhart schools on the northwest side include fourteen elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, one alternative school, and one career center for ongoing adult education.

There are four private religious schools and two private secular schools.

Higher education includes the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Beulah Bible College & Seminary, Indiana Institute of Technology, Indiana University South Bend (Elkhart Center), and Ivy Tech Community College.

Moving to Elkhart, IN Resource Guide

The City of Elkhart has an elected mayor and nine councilors serving on the Common Council.

Elkhart's City Parks and Recreation Department manages the NIBCO Water & Ice Park, which offers ice skating during winter and water fountains for kids to play in during summer. Public swimming pools and pavilions provide outdoor entertainment, and Riverview Park hosts softball games to enjoy or participate in.

Other activities include indoor pickleball, Tolson Center Gym, Jui Jitsu classes, the First LEGO League, youth basketball camp, Elkhart Youth STEM series, adult self-defense classes, bird hikes, summer day camp, and Walking on Sunshine expeditions.

Elkhart, IN Housing

Housing costs are 39% lower than the national average. The median rent is $787, which is about $160 less than the national median rent. The cost of living in Elkhart is 8% lower than the rest of the state and 18% lower than the national average.

Military Bases Near Elkhart, IN

Here are the military bases within 50 miles:

• Grissom Air Reserve Base (Peru, IN)
• Indiana National Guard Armory (Elkhart)