1. Washington County, Indiana
THE INDIANA PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER
GIS in Prevention County Profiles Series, No. 3
Washington County, Indiana
Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP
The Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University is funded, in part, by a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, financially supported through HHS/Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. The IPRC is operated by the Department of Applied Health Science and The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

2. GIS in Prevention County Profile Series, No. 3
Washington County, Indiana
Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP
Project Staff:
Ritika Bhawal, MPH
Solomon Briggs
Kyoungsun Heo, MPA
Srinivasa Konchada
Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Trustees of Indiana University or the Division of Mental Health and Addiction. Indiana University accepts full Responsibility for the content of this publication. ©2005 The Trustees of Indiana University. Permission is extended to reproduce this County Profile for non-profit educational purposes. All other rights reserved.

3. 3. Geographic and Historical Notes
Washington County is located in southern Indiana and is bordered by the following Indiana counties: Jackson to the north, Scott to the east, Clark to the east/southeast, Floyd to the southeast, Harrison to the south, Crawford to the southwest, Orange to the west, and Lawrence to the northwest. State Highways 135, 56, and 60 cross the county. Elevation is 750 to 950 feet.
Although most of the county is characterized by moderate to steep slopes, there is very steep slopes in the north and east border areas, and an area of very steep slopes in the southwest. The landscape features hickory and oak trees. Parts of the county pertain to three different land resource areas: the Kentucky and Indiana Sandstone and Shale Hills and Valleys land resource area (north, east and southwest corner), the Southern Illinois and Indiana Thin Loess and Till Plain (the northwest tip), and the Highland Rim and Pennyroyal (south and west).
Washington county is in the Eastern Time Zone and observes DST. Average daily temperatures are 18٥/40٥ in January and 61٥/88٥ in July. Annual precipitation is about and snowfall about inches. The first freeze occurs between October 10-15, except a bit later in the southeast third of the county (October 15-20). The last freeze occurs first (April 20-25) in the southern half of the county and a bit later (April 25-30) in the north. The growing season lasts days.
Agricultural activity is mainly in corn for grain, hay, and livestock. Tobacco, soybeans, hay and winter wheat are additional crops. Livestock include cattle/calves, milk cows, hogs/pigs, and turkeys. Popcorn is a special crop. Over half of the land is in farms and about half of that land is in cash crops. Important natural resources include crushed stone and forestland. Water resources include lakes/reservoirs (including Delaney Creek Lake No. 5, Elk Creek Lake No. 9, John Hay Lake, Lake Salinda, and Twin Rush Lake No. 1), rivers (East Fork White, Muscatatuck, Blue, Middle Fork Blue, Lost, and South Fork Lost, Rivers), and streams (Buffalo, Delaney, Elk, Punch, Clifty, Dutch, Little Bear, Rush, Bear, Twin, Honey Creeks and Cammie Thomas Ditch).
Communities include the city of Salem, which is the county seat; and the towns of Campbellsburg, Little York, Livonia, New Pekin, and Saltillo.
Sources: Map from PCensus for MapInfo; Geographic Notes from Indiana Facts: Flying the Colors by John Clements, 1995.

4. Washington County
The maps and tables in this publication were prepared using PCensus
7.06 for MapInfo and MapInfo Professional 7.0.

5. 3. Location and Historical Notes
Washington County Tobacco Production & Revenue:
Source: the Strategic Development Group’s “Alternative Agricultural Strategy” (Bloomington, March 15, 2001) report, which is part of Governor Joseph E. Kernan’s “Recipient Final Reports for Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture Grant Programs” (
According to the most recent data available, Washington County ranks 10th in the State for the number of acres devoted to production of tobacco and also for the number of farms producing tobacco. As of 1997, a total of 250 acres in Shelby County were devoted to tobacco production on 77 farms. For those 77 farms, tobacco income per farm ($10,076) expressed as a percentage of the Average Household Income for the county ($21,668) was 31.8% in 1997.
Latest figures (from 1997 USDA Census):
Rank for acres in tobacco production: 10th
Acres in tobacco production: 250
Number of farms producing tobacco: 77
As a Percent of all farms: 8.4%
Rank in IN for percent of all farms: 12th
Tobacco income per farm producing: $10,076
Percent of County’s Ave. Household Income: 31.8%
[See appendices for more information.]

6. Don’t Know Your Block Group Number?
3. Washington County Block Group Maps
Don’t Know Your Block Group Number?
You can find it easily at the American Factfinder Web Site (

7. Washington County
Block Groups