Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph river adjacent to South Bend located in St. Joseph County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 46,557. Its nickname is "the Princess City."
Mishawaka is located at 41°40'3" North, 86°10'17" West (41.667498, -86.171253). The city has a total area of 41.6 km2 (16.0 mi2).
As of the census of 2000, there are 46,557 people, 20,248 households, and 11,642 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,144.2/km2 (2,963.3/mi2). There are 21,572 housing units at an average density of 530.2/km2 (1,373.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 91.58% White, 3.56% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. 2.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 20,248 households out of which 28.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% are married couples living together, 13.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% are non-families. 35.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.23 and the average family size is 2.92.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $33,986, and the median income for a family is $41,947. Males have a median income of $33,878 versus $23,672 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,434. 9.9% of the population and 7.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.7% of those under the age of 18 and 7.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Mishawaka, IN, is a small industrial suburb (or "twin city") of South Bend. The name comes from a Shawnee Indian princess.
In the 1820s, bog iron deposits were discovered in the area. Several small towns arose to exploit these deposits, including one called St. Joseph Iron Works, where a blast furnace was built. In 1833, St. Joseph Iron Works was incorporated with three other small towns as the town of Mishawaka. In 1839, the Kamm & Schellinger Brewery was built, now the 100 Center shopping plaza. Mint was grown all around Mishawaka and by 1900, the city became known as "the peppermint capital of the world." In 1872, fire ravaged most of Mishawaka's business district. When the city was rebuilt, the Dodge Manufacturing Company, Perkins Windmills, and the Mishawaka Woolen and Rubber Company set up manufacturing plants. The large "Ball Band" plant of U.S. Rubber Company (later Uniroyal) made rubber garments and was hit by a major strike in 1931, but flourished in the 1940s; it closed in 1997 in the face of cheap imports. Manufacturing peaked in the 1940s and began a slow decline as the economic base shifted to services, such as medicine. The population is ethnically diverse, with large German Catholic and Belgian Catholic settlements dating from the late 19th century. Its income is below the national average ($18,434 per capita in 2000, compared with $21,587 nationally).
In 1979, University Park Mall opened north of Mishawaka, beginning a move toward retail business. In 1990, AM General began producing the Hummer in its Mishawaka plant. Although much of the rest of the heavy industry was gone by the turn of the 21st century, Mishawaka retains a thriving commercial district that is one of the largest retail centers in Indiana, the Grape Road/Indian Ridge shopping district, which serves all of Michiana.
Source:
MishawakaIndiana.com
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