Though only 15 miles east of South Bend, Elkhart is no suburb of the nearby city that is double its size. This Northern Indiana city has an identity all its own — and much of that identity is tied to the industries that have served as Elkhart’s heartbeat for generations.
Elkhart is home to so many recreational vehicle manufacturers that it is known as the “RV Capital of the World.” The city is also a leading manufacturer of brass and woodwind musical instruments used by marching bands, concert bands and orchestras everywhere.
Location plays a role in Elkhart’s ability to maintain industrial might into the 21st century. The Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 90), which continues 110 miles west to Chicago, forms most of Elkhart’s northern boundary.
And though Elkhart has an unmistakable industrial character, there is still room for nature. The Saint Joseph and Elkhart rivers both flow through the heart of the city, serving as the backdrop for many of Elkhart’s scenic and active public parks.
Nestled in bends of St Joseph and Elkhart Rivers is the coveted neighborhood of East Jackson.
Check out vintage campers at East Jackson's RV and Motorhome Museum.
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River recreation and scenic public parks
Like anywhere else in the region of Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan, colloquially called Michiana, winter is a time to bundle up in Elkhart. But as spring rolls into summer, the city comes alive. Pleasure boaters, canoeists and kayakers take to the rivers – particularly the Upper Saint Joseph. “The Upper Saint Joe is highly navigable,” says resident Mark Krol, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years. “Boating, water skiing, tubing, fishing -- it’s all fantastic.” Many residents who live along the river put out an amphibious welcome mat. “Almost every weekend of the summer, people will host concerts in their backyard along the river,” Krol says.
Having a watercraft is not required to enjoy Elkhart’s outdoor recreation. The city operates 35 parks and recreation facilities. NIBCO Water and Ice Park is just across the Elkhart River from downtown and offers an ice-skating rink in the winter and a splash pad during the summer months. The park also hosts the Summer Chill concert series on summer Fridays.
The Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department organizes several events, including a weekly farmers market, an arts and music festival and a winter 5K run. “Our parks department has a robust amount of events and programs that hit on something for everyone,” says Elkhart Parks and Recreation superintendent Jamison Czarnecki.
Wellfield Botanical Gardens, billed as one of Michiana’s most beautiful places, has more than 20 distinctive gardens and also hosts the city’s largest holiday light show in November and December.
Nibco Water and Ice Park provides riverside fun to East Jackson residents all year-round.
Wellfield Botanic Gardens has beautiful scenery for Baker Park residents to enjoy.
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Downtown shopping and dining options are growing
When Krol moved to the area in the mid-2000s, he says heading to South Bend or Mishawaka for dining and entertainment was the norm. That’s no longer the case thanks to a revitalized downtown area known as The Gateway Mile. Residents can dine on upscale cuisine or stop in a brewpub for bar food made with local ingredients. Shops in the area include hair studios, jewelry stores, bike shops and vintage stores. The Lerner Theater is a historic theater downtown that hosts concerts, musicals and comedic performances.
Residents of Hayden enjoy the convenience of Downtown Elkhart.
The historic Learner Theatre has been delighting East Jackson theatre-goers since 1924.
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Home styles that change with the times
Homes in Elkhart come in multiple styles that reflect the city's growth over the years. Older homes in town include Victorian and Dutch Colonial houses with spacious front porches. Ranch-style homes are common in the areas further out from downtown, while new traditional homes have been built in subdivisions on the city's edges.
The median home price in Elkhart is a little over $205,000, compared to the national average of just over $400,000. Many of Elkhart's most expensive homes, ranging from $600,000 to over $1.2 million, are along the banks of the Saint Joseph River or in the unincorporated Simonton Lake neighborhood north of Interstate 90.
The median home price in Elkhart is about $25,000 more than in South Bend, $15,000 more than in Mishawaka, and $35,000 less than in Goshen.
There are a number of dutch colonial and bungalow style homes in Bower.
Baker Park ranch homes are typically made of brick and are known to feature mature trees.
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Three different school districts
Three different school districts serve Elkhart.
The bulk of students attend Elkhart Community Schools, which receives a C-plus rating from Niche. The school district serves approximately 11,600 students and has a student-teacher ratio of 15-to-1 across 14 elementary, three middle and one high school. Elkhart High School, which gets a B-minus rating, was formed in 2021 when Elkhart Memorial and Elkhart Central High Schools merged. The former Elkhart Central campus now functions as a freshman campus.
Students in the far southeastern part of the city attend Concord Community Schools, which earns a B rating. Concord has around 5,300 students and a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio across four grade schools, an intermediate school, junior high and high school. Concord Community High School has a B rating.
Students in far western Elkhart are zoned for Baugo Community Schools, which has a B rating and a rural setting. Baugo has just under 1,800 students attending four schools. Jimtown High School receives a B-minus rating.
Elkhart High School serves the entire Elkhart community.
Welcome to Concord Community High School.
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Convenient location key for local industries
Elkhart's location in northern Indiana puts residents about 110 miles from Chicago, a drive that typically takes around 2 hours on Interstate 90. The drive to Indianapolis is 160 miles south along U.S. Route 31 and takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Two Amtrak lines serve the train station in Elkhart; the Lake Shore Limited line connects Chicago to New York, while the Capitol Limited line connects Chicago and Washington, D.C. Each line has two trains pass through Elkhart daily, one heading east and one heading west. To get around the city, residents can use the Interurban Trolley, a fixed-route bus system with five routes that cover Elkhart and nearby Goshen.
Several major employers in and around the city contribute to the local economy. As the RV Capital of the World, several companies have headquarters either in Elkhart or nearby Goshen, including Keystone, Jayco and THOR Motor Coach. Norfolk Southern is another significant company with a presence in the area, and the railyards on the city's west side are among the largest in the country. New developments include an 800,000-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center that is opening in the near future.
Jazz Festival, Grand Prix are signature events
The Conn Selmer instrument company is based here and plays, well, an instrumental role in one of the city’s biggest annual events. The Elkhart Jazz Festival, staffed entirely by local volunteers, brings acclaimed musicians to the city each summer. Keb’ Mo, Bruce Hornsby and Ben Folds are among the many artists to play Elkhart Jazz Fest.
On the first weekend of August, Downtown Elkhart's streets are transformed into a racecourse for the Elkhart Grand Prix – a Formula 1-style race with go-karts.
Residents of Grant look forward to the Elkhart 4H County Fair every year.
Take a spin in a Helicopter at the Elkhart 4H County Fair.
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Fighting high crime
Elkhart grapples with crime rates that are significantly higher than the national average. In 2023, the violent crime rate more than tripled the national average. The property crime rate also exceeded the national average. The city's police department has several initiatives to build relationships with the community and try to reduce crime, such as Coffee with a Cop and the annual Night Out Against Crime.
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