I have long suspected that the political difference between Indiana and Ohio, Illinois, or even Pennsylvania was demographic (and partially cultural, though that’s another topic). Rural Indiana is full of people, and the cities don’t have the population to offset the conservative, rural vote. These data from census.gov bear that out:
| Indiana Total: |
6,313,520
|
| Region: | |
| Gary | 98,715 |
| East Chicago | 30,946 |
| Northern: | |
| South Bend | 105,262 |
| Fort Wayne | 223,341 |
| Lafayette | 60,459 |
| West Lafayette | 28,599 |
| Central: | |
| Indianapolis | 784,118 |
| Southern: | |
| Jeffersonville | 28,261 |
| Clarksville | 21,060 |
| New Albany | 36,772 |
| Evansville | 115,918 |
| Urban total: | 1,533,451 |
| Percentage: | 24.29% |
I counted as “urban” any area with a population of 75,000 or greater. In some cases, there are adjacent communities which fall in the same districts, and I have included them (Lafayette and West Lafayette; Gary and East Chicago; and Clarksville, Jeffersonville, and New Albany, known as Greater Louisville) when the total exceeded 75,000. Note that people from urban areas would not consider 75,000 to be urban (though by Indiana standards, 75,000 is a significantly large population for a community).
Even counting 75,000 and greater as “urban” (note that, for example, Evansville votes heavily conservative and the “bloody eighth” is one of the most conservative districts in the state), the urban population totals a mere 24.29% of the total population. Contrast Indiana with Pennsylvania. Rural Pennsylvania is much more sparsely populated than rural Indiana, and Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs make up 47% of the population. This is why we have to put up with all kinds of socialist state laws, despite the fact that the people here are as conservative as any self-respecting Hoosier (yes, something sparked this, but I’m too hot under the collar to rant about it now).
No wonder the locals hate Philadelphia (or “Filthadelphia,” as they call it).
