Editing Rensselaer, Indiana

{{Other uses|Rensselaer (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Rensselaer, Indiana
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = 
| mapsize            = 250x200px
| image_skyline      = Jasper County Courthouse Rensselaer Indiana.JPG
| imagesize          = 300 px
| image_caption      = Jasper County Courthouse
| image_seal         = RensselaerINseal.png
| image_map          = File:Jasper County Indiana Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Rensselaer Highlighted 1863792.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Rensselaer in Jasper 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  = [[Jasper County, Indiana|Jasper]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of townships in Indiana|Townships]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana|Marion]], [[Newton Township, Jasper County, Indiana|Newton]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Jeff Phillips ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| named_for          = James Van Rensselaer
| established_title  = Platted
| established_date   = June 12, 1839
| established_title1 = Incorporated
| established_date1  = December 8, 1858
| population_footnotes = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est     = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 5733
| population_density_sq_mi = 852.11
| population_density_km2 = 328.99
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| area_land_km2      = 17.43
| area_water_km2     = 0.01
| 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     = 17.44
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6.73
| area_land_sq_mi    = 6.73
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 659
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|56|15|N|87|10|06|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 47978
| area_code          = [[Area code 219|219]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 18-63792<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2396349<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396349}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
| website            = {{URL|cityofrensselaerin.com}}
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
}}
'''Rensselaer''' is a city located along the [[Iroquois River (Indiana-Illinois)|Iroquois River]] in [[Marion Township, Jasper County, Indiana|Marion Township]], [[Jasper County, Indiana|Jasper County]], [[Indiana]], United States. The population was 5,733 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], down slightly from 5,859 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1863792| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213041452/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1863792| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 13, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Rensselaer city, Indiana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=May 15, 2018}}</ref> The city is the [[county seat]] of Jasper County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> [[Saint Joseph's College (Indiana)|Saint Joseph's College]] is located just south of the city limits.

==History==
[[File:St Joseph's College Church.JPG|thumb|upright|left|St. Joseph's College (church)]]This settlement, first platted on June 12, 1839, was originally named "Newton" and was established at the rapids of the Iroquois River. By 1844, it had been renamed "Rensselaer", after James Van Rensselaer, a merchant from [[Utica, New York]], who came to the area after his business failed in the [[Panic of 1837]]. He took over the land from Joseph D. Yeoman, who had established a farm some years earlier and had begun to plan the village.<ref name="wbjn1883">{{cite book |last=Battle |first=J. H. |title=Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper, and Newton, Indiana |publisher=F. A. Battey and Company |year=1883 |location=Chicago, Illinois |pages=508–514 |chapter=History of Jasper County}}</ref>

[[St. Joseph Indian Normal School]] was established in 1888 by [[Katharine Drexel|St. Katherine Drexel]], an heiress from [[Philadelphia]], who donated $50,000 for the education of [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] American Indian boys. The school trained 60 boys annually until 1896. The school was operated by the [[Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions]].

In addition to St. Joseph Indian Normal School, the [[Jasper County Courthouse (Indiana)|Jasper County Courthouse]], [[Oren F. and Adelia Parker House]], [[Rensselaer Carnegie Library]], and [[Rensselaer Courthouse Square Historic District]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web |date=April 20, 2012 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20120420.htm |work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 4/09/12 through 4/13/12 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref name="nps1">{{cite web |date=October 10, 2014 |title=National Register of Historic Places Listings |url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20141010.htm |work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 9/29/14 through 10/03/14 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>

==Geography==
Rensselaer is located southwest of the center of Jasper County.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is bordered to the south by the unincorporated community of [[Collegeville, Indiana|Collegeville]], home to Saint Joseph's College. The [[Iroquois River (Indiana-Illinois)|Iroquois River]], a tributary of the [[Kankakee River]], hence part of the [[Illinois River]] watershed, flows from east to west through the southern part of the city.

[[U.S. Route 231]] and [[Indiana State Road 114]] intersect in the downtown area. US-231 leads north {{convert|20|mi}} to [[DeMotte, Indiana|DeMotte]] and south {{convert|12|mi}} to [[Remington, Indiana|Remington]], while State Road 114 leads east {{convert|13|mi}} to [[U.S. Route 421 in Indiana|U.S. Route 421]] and west {{convert|3.5|mi}} to [[Interstate 65 in Indiana|Interstate 65]]. Via I-65, Rensselaer is {{convert|42|mi}} north of [[Lafayette, Indiana|Lafayette]] and {{convert|54|mi}} south of [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]].

According to the 2010 census, Rensselaer has a total area of {{convert|3.86|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|3.8|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 98.45%) is land and {{convert|0.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 1.55%) is water.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1863792
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=July 29, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213041452/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1863792
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

=== Climate ===
Humid continental climate is a climatic classification typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is relatively well distributed year-round in many areas with this climate, while others may see a marked reduction in wintry precipitation and even a wintertime drought.  The [[Köppen Climate Classification]] subtype for this climate is "[[Humid continental climate|Dfa]]". (Hot Summer Continental Climate).<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=744664&cityname=Rensselaer%2C+Indiana%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Rensselaer, Indiana]</ref>

{{US Census population
|1850= 241
|1860= 535
|1870= 617
|1880= 968
|1890= 1455
|1900= 2255
|1910= 2393
|1920= 2912
|1930= 2798
|1940= 3214
|1950= 4072
|1960= 4740
|1970= 4688
|1980= 4944
|1990= 5045
|2000= 5294
|2010= 5859
|2020= 5733
|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|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Rensselaer, Indiana (1991–2020)
<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =32.0
| Feb high F  =36.5
| Mar high F  =48.1
| Apr high F  =61.1
| May high F  =72.3
| Jun high F  =81.4
| Jul high F  =83.9
| Aug high F  =82.5
| Sep high F  =77.2
| Oct high F  =64.1
| Nov high F  =49.1
| Dec high F  =37.0
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =24.0
| Feb mean F  =27.9
| Mar mean F  =38.4
| Apr mean F  =50.0
| May mean F  =61.5
| Jun mean F  =70.9
| Jul mean F  =73.6
| Aug mean F  =71.8
| Sep mean F  =65.2
| Oct mean F  =52.7
| Nov mean F  =40.2
| Dec mean F  =29.5
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =16.1
| Feb low F  =19.3
| Mar low F  =28.7
| Apr low F  =38.9
| May low F  =50.6
| Jun low F  =60.4
| Jul low F  =63.4
| Aug low F  =61.2
| Sep low F  =53.2
| Oct low F  =41.3
| Nov low F  =31.3
| Dec low F  =21.9
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =2.58
| Feb precipitation inch  =2.04
| Mar precipitation inch  =2.71
| Apr precipitation inch  =3.88
| May precipitation inch  =4.34
| Jun precipitation inch  =4.78
| Jul precipitation inch  =4.49
| Aug precipitation inch  =4.01
| Sep precipitation inch  =3.24
| Oct precipitation inch  =3.18
| Nov precipitation inch  =2.59
| Dec precipitation inch  =2.25
<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =8.2
| Feb snow inch  =8.8
| Mar snow inch  =3.5
| Apr snow inch  =0.1
| May snow inch  =0.0
| Jun snow inch  =0.0
| Jul snow inch  =0.0
| Aug snow inch  =0.0
| Sep snow inch  =0.0
| Oct snow inch  =0.0
| Nov snow inch  =0.5
| Dec snow inch  =4.2
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
| source = NOAA<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&station=USC00127298 |title=NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access |publisher=NOAA |access-date=2025-03-30 }}</ref>
}}<!-- Infobox ends -->

==Demographics==

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] there were 5,859 people, 2,336 households, and 1,517 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1541.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,556 housing units at an average density of {{convert|672.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makup]] of the city was 95.4% White, 0.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4%.<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 11, 2012}}</ref>

Of the 2,336 households 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.5% of households were one person and 12.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age was 36.6 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 5,294 people, 2,158 households, and 1,404 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,824.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,296 housing units at an average density of {{convert|791.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makup]] of the city was 97.94% White, 0.32% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.66% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.53%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 2,158 households 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 31.1% of households were one person and 15.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.

The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.

The median household income was $34,821 and the median family income  was $43,313. Males had a median income of $33,971 versus $24,016 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,872. About 6.6% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
It is within the [[Rensselaer Central School Corporation]] (K-12 school district).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st18_in/schooldistrict_maps/c18073_jasper/DC20SD_C18073.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jasper County, IN|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 5, 2023}}</ref>

Rensselaer has a public library, a branch of the Jasper County Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.myjcpl.org/locations/rensselaer | title=Rensselaer Public Library, Headquarters | publisher=Jasper County Public Library | access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref>

[[Saint Joseph's College (Indiana)|Saint Joseph's College]] is in Rensselaer.

==Transportation==
Rensselaer is served by Amtrak's [[Amtrak Cardinal|Cardinal]], which runs three days per week, stopping at the [[Rensselaer station|Rensselaer Amtrak]] station.

==Notable people==
* [[Eleanor Stackhouse Atkinson]], author
* [[Dan Brandenburg]], [[National Football League]] player, [[Buffalo Bills]] 1996-1999<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/player/danbrandenburg/2499762/profile Dan Brandenburg, LB at NFL.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[Steve Buyer]], former [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
* [[Charles A. Halleck]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] leader of the U.S. House of Representatives
* [[James F. Hanley|James Frederick "Jimmy" Hanley]], American songwriter
* [[Tom Harmon]], 1940 [[Heisman Trophy]] winner
* [[Eli Isom]], professional wrestler
* [[Michael Stephen Kanne]], Judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals 
* [[Robert H. Milroy]], Major General in the Union Army during the American Civil War
* [[Augustus Phillips]], actor during the [[silent film]] era

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Americana Poster|Rensselaer (Indiana)|Rensselaer, Indiana}}
* [http://cityofrensselaerin.com/ City of Rensselaer official website]

{{Jasper County, Indiana}}
{{Indiana County Seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Indiana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1839]]
[[Category:Cities in Jasper County, Indiana]]
[[Category:County seats in Indiana]]
[[Category:Northwest Indiana]]
[[Category:Towns in Indiana]]
[[Category:1858 establishments in Indiana]]