Indiana Main Street
Mayors’ Workshop
2021
Post COVID-19
Elkhart
Background
Elkhart has the larger population of the two principal cities of the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn is part of the South Bend-Elkhart-Mishawaka Combined Statistical Area, in a region commonly known as Michiana. The population is approximately 52,308. Elkhart is best known for two industries: recreational vehicles and musical instruments. It has been referenced as the "RV Capital of the World" and the "Band Instrument Capital of the World" for decades. Despite the shared name and being the most populous city in the county, it is not the county seat of Elkhart County; that position is held by the city of Goshen, located about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Elkhart.
Mayor
Rod Roberson
Years in Office
1
City Representative
Dayna Bennet
Chief of Staff
Mayor Roberson was born and raised in Elkhart, and served on the Elkhart Common Council from 2000 through 2015, before becoming Mayor in January, 2019 as the City's first African-American mayor. Roberson was an all-state basketball and football player at Elkhart Central High School and later played both sports at Northwestern University, where he graduated with an economics degree. After a career in the private sector, Roberson served as executive director of Church Community Services, an Elkhart nonprofit focused on poverty, and has most recently been director of co-curricular programming for Elkhart Community Schools. He has served on the boards of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart General Hospital, Heart City Health Center, and the local United Way and YMCA.
Data
Population
52,308
Median Household Income
$40,440
Largest 3 Employers
Norfolk Southern
Elkhart General Hospital
Henkels & McCoy
Land Area
27.48 mi²
Bachelor’s Degree or higher
13.9%
Poverty Rate
23.5%
Elkhart has grown its population by 1% since 2010. Elkhart is the global center of the recreational vehicle (RV) industry. The RV industry continues to function similarly to the early automobile industry in that it is characterized by high levels of entrepreneurship and large numbers of firms in the industry ecosystem. Elkhart has a particularly large community foundation with assets of over $300 million. The city has made significant investments into its downtown, such as by renovating the historic Lerner Theater. A challenge for the city is the highly cyclical nature of the RV industry, as well as generally low wages and educational attainment. College degree attainment in the city of Elkhart is only 13.9%.
