Live In Wabash County — Your Next Chapter Lives Here

Wabash County by the Numbers

$122,900

Median Home Price

vs. $291,700 national avg

71.2

Cost of Living Index

100 = national average

98%

Fiber Broadband

coverage in city limits

Top 20%

School Rankings

statewide, Indiana DOE

$100M+

Community Foundation

assets — 70+ years invested

$80.6M

Tourism Spending

annual economic impact (2024)

Sources: Indiana DOE, CFWC 2024 Annual Report, BEA, U.S. Census Bureau

Cost of Living

Your salary goes further here.

See exactly how much more your income is worth when you live in Wabash County — the most affordable county in the region.

Cost of Living Index

71.2

vs. a national average of 100. Wabash County costs nearly 30% less than the U.S. average.

Interactive Calculator

Where do you live now?

Select a city to compare

Your Annual Salary$75,000

$40K$200K

Your effective purchasing power

$89,431

in Indianapolis, IN

Living in Wabash County on $75,000 is like getting an effective raise of

$14,431/year

Cost of Living Index (100 = national average)

Indianapolis, IN84.9

Wabash County71.2

Wabash County is 16% less expensive than Indianapolis, IN.

Median Home Price

$122,900

Wabash County

$317,000

Indianapolis, IN

Buy a home and keep $194,100 more in your pocket.

Neighborhood Guide

Find your corner of the county.

Five distinct communities. Each with its own personality, schools, and price point. Pick the one that fits your life.

Photo: Market Street & Canal

Downtown Wabash

4-Star Rated

State-recognized performance

Wabash City

Historic downtown energy, big-city amenities

The cultural and commercial hub. Home to the Honeywell Center, Eagles Theatre, Paradise Spring, and downtown dining. First electrically lit city in the world in 1880 — a legacy of ambition that still shows.

Schools

MSD of Wabash County + Wabash City Schools

Median Home

$95K – $160K

Internet

Metronet + Frontier — up to 7 Gbps

Nearby Employers

Parkview Wabash Hospital

Ford Meter Box

Beacon Credit Union

Area Highlights

Honeywell CenterEagles TheatreParadise SpringDowntown diningSalamonie access

Ask Modoc

“What neighborhoods near the hospital are good for families with kids?”

Your Portal

One platform.
Two doorways.

Employers post and discover talent. Residents build portfolios and find opportunity. Both pathways connect through one county-wide system.

Employer Directory

5 sectors · 30+ employers

Real careers.
No commute.

Wabash County has a diversified industrial base across five sectors — with over $173 million in business investment in 2024 alone.

$173M

Business Investment

In 2024 — second-highest year on record

21

Ribbon Cuttings

New businesses and expansions in 2024

232

Industrial Acres

Certified and development-ready

HC

Healthcare

Anchor institutions, growing demand

4 actively hiring

PA

Hiring

Parkview Wabash Hospital

Anchor healthcare employer, regional system

Auto-synced 2h ago12 roles

BO

Hiring

Bowen Center

Behavioral health — fastest-growing sector

Auto-synced 4h ago8 roles

TI

Timbercrest Senior Living

Senior care, stable community institution

Auto-synced 1d ago0

PE

Peabody Retirement Community

Senior care, full-service campus

MI

Hiring

Midwest Eye Consultants

Specialty care, private practice

RO

Rolling Meadows

Long-term care

WE

HiringFair Chance

Wellbrooke of North Manchester

Rehab and skilled nursing

CNA and support roles

Interested in a specific employer?

Let Modoc connect you with the right contact, open roles, and hiring intel for any employer in the county.

Your Path Forward

Everyone deserves
a fair shot.

These resources and employers are here to help you build what's next.

Stories from Wabash County

Representative profiles

JW

James W.

Metal X · 2 years employed

GED ProgramForklift CertificationWelder/Fabricator at Metal X

“They looked at what I could do, not what I'd done.”

RH

Robert H.

Ford Meter Box Co. · 3 years employed

Learn More CenterCDL LicenseWarehouse Lead at Ford Meter Box

“The Community Foundation grant paid for my CDL. Three years later I'm a team lead.”

TM

Tamika M.

Parkview Wabash Hospital · 1 year employed

CNA CertificationPatient Care at Parkview Wabash Hospital

“I volunteer 4 hours a week at the food bank. My portfolio shows who I am now.”

Resources to get started

Have questions about second-chance opportunities?

Modoc can walk you through resources, eligibility, and next steps. No judgment.

Confidential. No record information stored on this platform.

Smart Matching

The right job finds you.

No more endless scrolling. When an employer posts a position, the platform matches it to portfolios with the right skills and notifies candidates automatically.

Sample matching scenario with representative profiles

Talent Pipeline

42

Registered Employers

across 5 sectors

35+

Open Positions

actively hiring

30+

Skill Categories

across all industries

8

Second Chance Employers

backgrounds reviewed

Reference Request

Marcus T. listed Dr. Williams as a reference. Tap to review.

Live Match Notifications (Demo)

CR

Cassidy R.

Recently

Cassidy, a first grade teaching position just opened at MSD of Wabash County. Based on your portfolio, you are a 94% match.

K-12 TeachingEarly Childhood

94% matchMSD of Wabash County

MT

Marcus T.

Recently

Marcus, the Community Foundation is looking for a Marketing Director. Your fellowship experience and skill set make you an 87% match.

Marketing/Social MediaData Analysis

87% matchCommunity Foundation of Wabash County

JW

James W.

Second ChanceRecently

James, Metal X has a welding position open with full benefits. Your certifications make you a 91% match.

Welding/FabricationForklift Certified

91% matchMetal X

1Build portfolio

2AI matches skills

3You get notified

Build Your Portfolio

Your career story,
starting now.

Whether you are a high school freshman joining your first club or a professional with 20 years of experience, your portfolio grows with you. Skills, work history, certifications, and references in one place.

Portfolio examples

Ma

Marcus T.

Manchester University Senior

Marketing/Social MediaData AnalysisProject Management

Fellowship 2025 cohort

Gold 127hrs

Ca

Cassidy R.

Teaching in Illinois

K-12 TeachingEarly ChildhoodCurriculum Design

Wabash County native, watching for openings

Silver 64hrs

Ja

James W.

GED Program at Learn More Center

Welding/FabricationForklift CertifiedLogistics/Warehouse

Second-chance pathway

Platinum 280hrs

Interactive Preview

Tag your skills

Employers see matching profiles when positions open. The more specific, the better the match.

2 skills selected

Based on your skills, you would match with 6 open positions in Wabash County right now. Create your free portfolio to get notified when new matches appear.

No cost. No membership required. Ever.

AI Resume Builder

Your story,
professionally told.

Whether you are creating your first resume or updating an existing one, our AI assistant walks you through every step. No forms. Just a conversation.

Upload & Improve

Drop in your existing resume and our AI will organize it into a polished profile, suggest improvements, and identify skills you may have missed.

Start From Scratch

Never had a resume? No problem. Modoc asks simple questions and builds your profile through conversation. Takes about 10 minutes.

Skills Discovery

Most people undercount their skills by 40%. Our AI identifies transferable abilities from your work history, volunteer experience, and daily life.

Your information is private until YOU choose to make it visible to employers.

Marcus T.

Wabash County, IN

127 volunteer hoursGold

Skills

Marketing/Social MediaData AnalysisProject Management

Experience

Marketing Intern

2024 - Present

Visit Wabash County

Social media strategy, content creation, event promotion

Student Lead

2022 - 2024

Manchester University Business Club

Led team of 12 in campus marketing initiatives

Education

Manchester University

2025

B.S. Business Administration

Certifications

Google Analytics Certified, HubSpot Inbound Marketing

Career Goal

Marketing leadership in a community-focused organization

Visible to employers only

Ready to build yours?

Free. Private. Takes 10 minutes.

Community Foundation of Wabash County

Seventy years of
investing in families
like yours.

No other small Indiana county can make this offer. When you move here, a $100M foundation is already in your corner.

$100M+

in community assets

Working for every resident

$100M+

Community Assets

As of Dec 2025

450+

Active Funds

Endowed & grantmaking

$35M+

Grants Given

Cumulative impact

70+

Years Serving

Est. 1954

Programs that follow you home

Whatever your situation,
there's a program for it.

Scholarship Finder

Preview

Which profile fits your family?

Estimated program matches. Full finder coming at launch.

Software engineer, 2 school-age kids

Southwood district

14

programs

Nurse relocating with family

Healthcare employer bonus

11

programs

Manufacturing worker, adult learner

Adult education grants

8

programs

Young family, kids under 5

Imagine Early eligible

16

programs

Full finder coming at launch

The live version matches your family profile to all 70+ CF scholarship endowments in real time.

Learn about CF Wabash County

Established 1954 — Serving Wabash County for over 70 years

Community Service

Give back. Get recognized.

Every hour you volunteer is tracked, verified by the organization, and added to your resident portfolio. Your service builds your reputation in the community.

14,200+

Volunteer Hours This Year

+2,400 vs last year

847

Active Volunteers

+112 this quarter

38

Partner Organizations

Across all sectors

$426K

Equivalent Economic Value

At $29.95/hr

Badge Progression

Bronze

25+ hours

Silver

50+ hours

Gold

100+ hours

Platinum

250+ hours

Community Champion

500+ hours

Active Volunteers

United Way of Wabash County

Food Pantry Volunteer

Saturdays 9am-12pm3 hrs/shift4 spots open

Family-FriendlyNo Experience Needed

Learn More Center

GED Tutor

Weekday evenings, flexible2 hrs/shift6 spots open

EducationSecond Chance Welcome

Habitat for Humanity Wabash County

Urgent Need

Build Day Crew

Monthly build days6 hrs/shift8 spots open

PhysicalSkilled Trades

MSD of Wabash County

After-School Reading Mentor

Tue & Thu 3-5pm2 hrs/shift3 spots open

EducationYouth

Wabash County YMCA

Youth Sports Coach

Seasonal, weekends3 hrs/shift5 spots open

YouthFamily-Friendly

White's Residential & Family Services

Mentor / Big Sibling

Flexible 4 hrs/month min4 hrs/shift10 spots open

YouthSecond Chance Welcome

Honeywell Center

Event Setup & Volunteer Crew

Event days, varies4 hrs/shift12 spots open

CommunityFlexible

Wabash Carnegie Public Library

Literacy Program Assistant

Mon & Wed 10am-12pm2 hrs/shift4 spots open

EducationAll Ages

How It Works

1

Find an opportunity

2

Sign up through your profile

3

Organization verifies hours

4

Hours added to your portfolio

Volunteer data tracked through resident profiles. Hours verified by partner organizations.

Track every hour. Build your reputation.

Your volunteer hours follow you across organizations and show up on your resident portfolio. Free, forever.

No cost. No membership required. Ever.

Remote Work

Work from anywhere.
Live somewhere real.

Wabash County has better internet than most Indianapolis suburbs — at a fraction of the cost. 17 providers, 7 Gbps peak speeds, 350 miles of deployed fiber.

7 Gbps

Peak speeds

Frontier fiber, downtown Wabash

17

ISPs available

More than most suburbs

350 mi

Metronet fiber

Deployed throughout the county

ET + CT

Dual time zones

No coast-to-coast lag

Internet Infrastructure

Best Value

Metronet Fiber

5.12 Gbps

From $29.95/mo • 62% coverage

Fastest

Frontier Fiber

7 Gbps

Competitive rates • High coverage

Xfinity Cable

1.2 Gbps

Standard rates • 71.5% coverage

14 more providers

Varies

Multiple tiers • County-wide

350 miles of Metronet fiber deployed. Wabash City has better broadband infrastructure than most Indianapolis suburbs — at 10x lower cost.

Work From Wabash

What does your remote salary buy here?

Current City

Remote Salary$95,000

$50K$200K

Your cost-adjusted income in Wabash County

$63,038

You keep an extra

$31,962/yr

vs. living in Chicago

Work From Here

Photo: Modoc's Espresso

Local Favorite

Modoc's Espresso Bar & Cafe

Named for Wabash County's famous circus elephant. Downtown Wabash's favorite remote work spot — fast WiFi, outstanding coffee, and the kind of regulars who become friends.

Photo: MU Campus Library

North Manchester

Manchester University Campus

Library and campus spaces open to remote workers in North Manchester. College-town energy and serious connectivity — without the city price tag.

Photo: Carnegie Library

Free

Wabash Carnegie Public Library

Free high-speed internet and quiet workspace in a beautiful Carnegie building. A public asset that punches far above its weight for a city this size.

Powered by Give 9 + Transform

County by the numbers.

Real data across five pillars. Wabash County compared to Indiana and national benchmarks. Updated quarterly.

Visitor Tourism Spend

+8.2%

Wabash County$42.3M

Indiana$14.2B

National$1.1T

Downtown Occupancy Rate

+3.1%

Wabash County87%

Indiana79%

National82%

Main Street Businesses

+12

Wabash County142

Indianaavg 98

Nationalavg 86

Parks & Trail Miles

+4.5mi

Wabash County47mi

Indianaavg 31mi

Nationalavg 22mi

Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Indiana Business Research Center, Community Foundation of Wabash County, Give 9 initiative. Sample data for demonstration purposes.

Quality of Life

A city that earns
its reputation
every single year.

Wabash isn't waiting to be discovered. It's been building the case for itself for 140 years — and the case is strong.

“We did a weekend trip before we made the decision. By Saturday afternoon my husband and I looked at each other and said 'why are we waiting?' It just felt like home.”

Jenna M.

Relocated from Fort Wayne, 2023

Lakes & Outdoors

Aerial photo of Salamonie Reservoir at golden hour

Salamonie Reservoir

State park-quality fishing, camping, and water recreation 20 minutes from downtown. Your weekends look completely different here.

Canoe on calm morning lake water

Mississinewa Lake

One of Indiana's most popular recreational lakes. Boating, swimming, and trails — 30 minutes south.

Arts & Culture

Honeywell Center marquee lit up at night

Honeywell Center

Broadway touring productions, national concerts, visual arts galleries — in a city of 10,000. It genuinely shouldn't be here.

Eagles Theatre ornate interior balcony detail

Eagles Theatre (1906)

Restored vaudeville venue in downtown Wabash. Concerts, films, community events. A genuine landmark you can walk to.

History & Identity

Historical courthouse dome at dusk with warm light

First Electrically Lit City

Wabash was the first city in the world illuminated by electric light, March 31, 1880. The kind of history that makes a city proud of itself.

Wooded trail along the river in fall colors

Paradise Spring Historical Park

Riverwalk trails, log cabins, and 19th-century interpretation — three blocks from downtown.

State Investment

Downtown Wabash street with cultural district signage

Indiana Cultural District

State designation since 2021 — one of few rural counties to hold it. Wabash punches well above its weight in arts infrastructure.

Aerial downtown Wabash renovation in progress

Stellar Pathways (2024)

One of two Indiana communities selected. Active investments: Riverwalk extension, new housing, trail connections, senior center renovation.

Honeywell Center

Performing Arts Center

Broadway touring

Cultural District

Indiana Designation

Since 2021

1st Electric City

Historical Claim

March 31, 1880

Day in the Life

People don't move
to statistics.
They move to stories.

Representative profiles based on real Wabash County experiences

Six profiles of people who made Wabash County their next chapter. Video stories coming at launch.

Portrait photo: Marcus on his back porch, Wabash county suburb, late afternoon light

Featured Story

The Remote Worker

“I make the same salary. I bought a house with a yard. I don't miss the commute.”

When you run the numbers — mortgage, commute time, cost of groceries, what your kids' school actually looks like — it stops being a trade-off and starts being obvious.

$122,900

Median home price

Marcus T.

Software Engineer

Relocated from Indianapolis

Full video profile coming at launch — produced by Visit Wabash County

Family walking along Wabash River trail, kids on bikes

The Young Family

“The kindergarten teacher knows my daughter's name. That doesn't happen in a district with 40,000 kids.”

We visited on a Friday. By Sunday we'd already looked at four houses.

Sarah & David K.

Moved from Fort Wayne suburbs

79th / 429

Southwood HS, state rank

Welder at work, industrial shop with good light

The Skilled Tradesperson

“I'm 8 minutes from work. My mortgage is $780 a month. I couldn't afford that anywhere else.”

Same trade. Same wages. Completely different quality of life.

Derek W.

Relocated from Kokomo

$173M

Business investment in 2024

Small business owner in her downtown bakery, warm morning light

The Entrepreneur

“The Community Foundation believed in me before my bank did.”

I got a Good Deeds Grant that covered my first six months of equipment. That's not something you find in a bigger market.

Priya N.

Originally from Indianapolis

450+

CF funds available

Retired couple on dock at Salamonie Reservoir, late summer sunset

The Retiree

“We have a dock now. We have a boat. We spend half what we spent before.”

We sold a Carmel house and bought on Salamonie for the same price. Nobody told us that was possible.

Bill & Carol M.

Moved from Carmel

71.2

Cost of living index

Young professional working from home office overlooking tree-lined street

The Returner

“I thought I had to leave to have a career worth having. I was wrong.”

I'm making more than I ever did in Chicago. I'm living in a house my parents' generation could only dream about. And I'm home.

Alexis R.

Grew up here, came back from Chicago

$100M+

CF assets working for residents

Content produced by Biz Bishop + Brittany Riner, Visit Wabash County — 2 new profiles per month after launch

Your Next ChapterLives Here.

Remote Worker

Job Seeker

Growing Family

Your salary goes further here.

Where do you live now?

Find your corner of the county.

Wabash City

One platform.Two doorways.

Employer Portal

Resident Portal

Real careers.No commute.

Parkview Wabash Hospital

Bowen Center

Timbercrest Senior Living

Peabody Retirement Community

Midwest Eye Consultants

Rolling Meadows

Wellbrooke of North Manchester

Everyone deservesa fair shot.

Stories from Wabash County

Resources to get started

The right job finds you.

Your career story,starting now.

Your story,professionally told.

Upload & Improve

Start From Scratch

Skills Discovery

Marcus T.

Skills

Experience

Education

Certifications

Career Goal

Ready to build yours?

Seventy years ofinvesting in familieslike yours.

Whatever your situation,there's a program for it.

Which profile fits your family?

Give back. Get recognized.

Badge Progression

How It Works

Work from anywhere.Live somewhere real.

What does your remote salary buy here?

Modoc's Espresso Bar & Cafe

Manchester University Campus

Wabash Carnegie Public Library

County by the numbers.

A city that earnsits reputationevery single year.

Salamonie Reservoir

Mississinewa Lake

Honeywell Center

Eagles Theatre (1906)

First Electrically Lit City

Paradise Spring Historical Park

Indiana Cultural District

Stellar Pathways (2024)

People don't moveto statistics.They move to stories.

Your salary goes further here.

Where do you live now?

Find your corner of the county.

Wabash City

One platform.Two doorways.

Employer Portal

Resident Portal

Real careers.No commute.

Parkview Wabash Hospital

Bowen Center

Timbercrest Senior Living

Peabody Retirement Community

Midwest Eye Consultants

Rolling Meadows

Wellbrooke of North Manchester

Everyone deservesa fair shot.

Stories from Wabash County

Resources to get started

The right job finds you.

Your career story,starting now.

Your story,professionally told.

Upload & Improve

Start From Scratch

Your Next Chapter
Lives Here.

One platform.
Two doorways.

Real careers.
No commute.

Everyone deserves
a fair shot.

Your career story,
starting now.

Your story,
professionally told.

Seventy years of
investing in families
like yours.

Whatever your situation,
there's a program for it.

Work from anywhere.
Live somewhere real.

A city that earns
its reputation
every single year.

People don't move
to statistics.
They move to stories.

One platform.
Two doorways.

Real careers.
No commute.

Everyone deserves
a fair shot.

Your career story,
starting now.

Your story,
professionally told.

Seventy years of
investing in families
like yours.

Whatever your situation,
there's a program for it.

Work from anywhere.
Live somewhere real.

A city that earns
its reputation
every single year.

People don't move
to statistics.
They move to stories.