Editing Colfax, Indiana

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Colfax, Indiana
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|image_skyline            = Colfax Carnegie Library from south.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = The [[Colfax Carnegie Library]]
|image_map = File:Clinton County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Colfax Highlighted 1814284.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Colfax in Clinton County, Indiana.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|area_note                = 
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Indiana]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Indiana|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Clinton County, Indiana|Clinton]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Indiana|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Perry Township, Clinton County, Indiana|Perry]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1849
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 702
|population_density_sq_mi = 1897.30
|population_density_km2   = 733.11
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|area_land_km2            = 0.96
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_18.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 0.96
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.37
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.37
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 843
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|11|39|N|86|40|01|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 46035
|area_code                = [[Area code 765|765]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 18-14284<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2396658<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396658}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = 
|named_for                = [[Schuyler Colfax]]
|unit_pref                = Imperial
}}
'''Colfax''' is a town in [[Perry Township, Clinton County, Indiana|Perry Township]], [[Clinton County, Indiana|Clinton County]], [[Indiana]], United States. The population was 691 at the 2010 census.  The town was originally known as Midway since it was a half-way point on the [[Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette Railroad|IC&L Railroad]] between Chicago & Louisville. Railways intersected North/South & East/West making Colfax a popular transfer destination. The town was renamed to honor Vice President [[Schuyler Colfax]]<ref name="hcc32">{{cite book
|last=Claybaugh
|first=Joseph
|title=History of Clinton County, Indiana
|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofclinton02clay
|year=1913
|publisher=A. W. Bowen & Company
|location=Indianapolis
|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofclinton02clay/page/32 32]
}}</ref> in 1857.

==History==
Colfax was laid out in 1849 by Montgomery Stroud. It was originally named Midway for its position between Chicago and Louisville along the IC&L railroad.  In 1853 the town gained a post office named Colfax, and in December 1857 the name of the town itself became Colfax, by petition of the residents.  By 1861 the town had two churches, two general stores, a hotel, a saw mill and approximately 200 residents.

An incorporation election held December 25, 1869, resulted in 24 yeas and 1 no.  The town had 187 residents in 1870, but with the construction of the [[Vandalia, Indiana|Vandalia]] railroad through town in 1870-71 it grew quickly and by 1880 had a population of 638.<ref name="hcc">{{cite book
|last=Claybaugh
|first=Joseph
|title=History of Clinton County, Indiana
|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofclinton02clay
|year=1913
|publisher=A. W. Bowen & Company
|location=Indianapolis
|chapter=Perry Township
}}</ref>

The [[Colfax Carnegie Library]] and [[Rosenberger Building]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Colfax has a total area of {{convert|0.36|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1814284
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |accessdate=July 16, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213043658/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1814284
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 187
|1880= 638
|1890= 730
|1900= 767
|1910= 801
|1920= 793
|1930= 690
|1940= 717
|1950= 725
|1960= 725
|1970= 633
|1980= 823
|1990= 727
|2000= 768
|2010= 691
|2020= 702
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=December 11, 2012}}</ref> of 2010, there were 691 people, 268 households, and 194 families living in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1919.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 322 housing units at an average density of {{convert|894.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 96.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.7% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.5% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 268 households, of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the town was 40.1 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 768 people, 286 households, and 205 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,118.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 305 housing units at an average density of {{convert|841.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 99.87% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] and 0.13% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.69% of the population.

There were 286 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,688, and the median income for a family was $44,514. Males had a median income of $31,792 versus $28,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,482. About 6.7% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The town has a free lending library, the Colfax-Perry Township Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf | title=Indiana public library directory | publisher=Indiana State Library | accessdate=March 4, 2018 | archive-date=February 18, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218220414/http://in.gov/library/files/countyindex13.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
<references />
{{commons category}}

{{Clinton County, Indiana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Schuyler Colfax]]
[[Category:Towns in Clinton County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1849]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in Indiana]]