IN · Marion County · 887,642 (2020) · 15th-largest US city · state capital
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is on the White River in the exact centre of Indiana, with more interstate highways meeting here than in any other US city. It is the state capital, the largest city in Indiana and the fifteenth-largest in the United States.
- State
- Indiana
- County
- Marion County (consolidated)
- Population (2020)
- 887,642
- Rank
- 15th in the US
- Coordinates
- 39.77°N, 86.16°W
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Metro area
- about 2.1 million
- State capital
- Yes – capital of Indiana
Where Indianapolis is
Indianapolis is at 39.77°N, 86.16°W in Marion County. Since the Unigov merger of 1970 the city and county are one unit of about 370 square miles, though four small towns inside it keep their own governments. The city sits on flat till plain about 715 feet above sea level, chosen in 1820 because it was almost exactly at the centre of the state. Interstates 65, 69, 70 and 74 all converge here. Chicago is 180 miles northwest, Louisville 115 miles south and Columbus, Ohio 175 miles east.
Population and rank
The 2020 Census counted 887,642 residents, ranking Indianapolis 15th in the US and first in Indiana by a wide margin — Fort Wayne, in second place, has about 264,000. The consolidated figure includes the whole of Marion County except the four excluded towns. The Indianapolis–Carmel–Anderson metropolitan area (11 counties) has about 2.1 million people, roughly a third of the state's population. Indianapolis is the fourth most populous state capital after Phoenix, Austin and Columbus.
Geography
- White River — the West Fork flows south through the city past downtown and the zoo, then on to the Wabash; it is shallow and not navigable, which is why Indianapolis never became a river port.
- Fall Creek and Eagle Creek — the main tributaries within the city; Eagle Creek Reservoir is one of the largest municipal parks in the country.
- Central Canal — a remnant of an 1830s canal project runs through downtown and Broad Ripple.
- Terrain — glaciated plain with very little relief; the highest point in the county is about 900 feet. Most of Indiana is on Eastern time, including Indianapolis, but twelve counties near Chicago and Evansville use Central.
Nearest large cities
Indianapolis is within a day's drive of half the US population; five of the fifty largest cities are within four hours. Distances are approximate road miles from Monument Circle.
| City | State | Road distance (mi) | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | KY | 115 | S |
| Chicago | IL | 180 | NW |
| Columbus | OH | 175 | E |
| Nashville | TN | 290 | S |
| Detroit | MI | 290 | NE |
Indianapolis as state capital
Indianapolis was selected as Indiana's capital in 1820 and laid out the following year on a plan by Alexander Ralston, who had worked on Washington, DC; the government moved here from Corydon in 1825. The present Statehouse dates from 1888. Indianapolis is both the capital and the largest city, a combination shared by only a minority of states. See the Indianapolis capital page for the capitol and the move from Corydon.
Related maps
- Indiana map — the state with its 92 counties.
- Indianapolis, state capital — capital facts and history.
- US cities map.
- Ohio River and Great Lakes maps.
- Nearby cities: Louisville, Chicago, Columbus.
- East North Central division · Eastern Time Zone (Indiana is split with Central).