Buggies parked at McDonald's in, 2011
Berne’s story
174 years in pictures
Census counts: 544 in 1890, 4,173 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2011 and 2 maps from 1962 on.
- 1852Berne is settled
Photo: Brianboramha11 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,286
2025 Census estimate · +2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$256K
+6.8% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
33.6
years
Jobs based here
2,972
A job hub
TownGrade
B+
#202 of 585 in IN
Is Berne a good place to live?
Berne gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $256K, 3.9 years of the Decatur area’s $65K median household income. It grades B+ overall, 202nd of 585 graded towns in Indiana. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 86% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. 34% of working residents work locally in Berne, where Indiana’s towns sit at 11% and U.S. towns at 8%. Only 54 of Indiana’s 1,097 towns score higher on walkability. Berne's public schools beat 73% of Indiana towns on state tests and graduation.
What makes Berne stand out
Where Berne beats most towns.
Typical home value
Berne$256K
Indiana$257K
Cost of livingA
More affordable than 91% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA−
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 82% of U.S. towns
6.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,339 people come to Berne for work
Where Berne’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,972jobs based in Berne
34%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Berne grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Indiana), ordered by how far Berne is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →HealthAdams Memorial Hospital 11.3 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 13% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 7.8% of households have no carA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Jobs & income$62K median household incomeC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landC+Open →History7 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life5.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Berne: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Berne, and how to reach them.
PowerIndiana Michigan Power17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBerne Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Indiana you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAdams County Circuit Court ClerkAdams County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code4671146711 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Berne.
Berne draws workers from Decatur and beyond and has home values climbing faster than Indiana’s.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About one in three working residents works right in Berne
2,972 jobs are based in Berne, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 3 of Berne’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Berne is 20 minutes. Jobs based in Berne grew to 2,972 in 2023, 385 more than in 2013.
34%work in town
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $71,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Berne34%
Decatur9%
Fort Wayne8%
Bluffton5%
Geneva4%
11 mi
median commute distance
2,972
jobs based in Berne
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthD
For health, Berne earns a D
17% of Berne adults report frequent physical distress. Berne beats the Indiana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 16% of Berne adults have diabetes.
14%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 21% | 19% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Indiana
1 better21 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Berne | IN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.8% | 77.4% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 30% | 15.4% |
Adams Memorial Hospital
11.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
17th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Berne
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities. Since 1998, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Berne.
13risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
5
paid flood claims since 1998
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Indiana overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 28% of residents (37% statewide); children under 18 are 28% of residents (23% statewide). Berne’s median age is 33.6 years. Berne has grown 2.7% since 2020, to 4,286 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
33.6median age · IN 38.1
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.6 years | 39.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 28% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 22% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 18% | 18% |
BerneIndianaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school46%
Some college10%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
About 82 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.9 points). Across Indiana, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Berne | IN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.8% | 12.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.7% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 9.6% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.6% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.1% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.2% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.1% | 6.7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.3% | 9.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 46.3% | 32.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 10.2% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.4% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.8% | 18.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9% | 10.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,300, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Berne has four seasons and pleasant summers
Berne has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 19° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–36°
Spring40–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall43–64°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Berne
Berne's reported crime rate is well below Indiana's. Among 107 Indiana towns, just 9 have a lower property crime rate than Berne. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Berne0.7
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Berne1.8
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.9%conserved
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.9% | 1.9% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
0.9%
conserved · 13 of 1,482 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Muensterberg Plaza | 0.6 mi | 2 |
| 2. Lehman Park | — | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade A
For cost of living, Berne earns an A
Home values rose 44% in five years, to about $256K, against 29% across Indiana.
Typical home values rose 6.8% in the year to September 2026.
$256KZillow home value
| Berne | Indiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $792 a month | $947 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 76% | 73% |
Typical home value
Berne$256K
Indiana$257K
+6.8%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Berne
20pages on Berne
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 73% of IN districtsSafety0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than IN on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$256K typical home · up 6.8% in a yearWork & commuteC+$62K median household income · 2,972 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 13% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Berne; the nearest are
Wright State University-Lake CampusUniversity or college · Public · Celina, OH24.6 mi$7,728 in-state tuitionNorthwest State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Archbold, OH64.6 mi$4,698 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Berne residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Indiana.
Famous people from Berne
7 notable people were born in Berne.
E
Ervin InnigerProfessional basketball player · born 1945L
Lester HabeggerAmerican basketball coach · 1924–2017M
Mary ButcherBaseball player · 1927–2018About Berne
City in Indiana, United States
Berne (English: [bɜːn]) is a city within Monroe and Wabash townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States, located 35 miles (56 km) south of Fort Wayne. The population was 4,173 at the 2020 Census. Berne is widely known for its Swiss heritage, architecture and culture, and for its status as the "Furniture Capital of Indiana." Berne and the surrounding area have also become known for their large Amish population (the fifth largest Amish community in the USA), who speak Bernese German (a Swiss German dialect), as opposed to Pennsylvania Dutch.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1852
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 843 ft
- ZIP code
- 46711
- Area code
- 260
Questions about Berne
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Berne, IN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Berne grades B+ overall, better than 74% of U.S. towns and #202 of 585 in Indiana. It grades D for health and B+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Berne, IN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Berne, IN known for?
7 notable people were born here, including Richard R. Schrock and Jerry Steiner.