The numbers behind Medicare in Elkhart County
| Elkhart County | Indiana | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents age 65 and older | 32,658 | 1,179,148 statewide |
| Share of residents age 65+ | 15.8% | 17.2% statewide |
| People with Medicare | 38,101 | 1,432,708 statewide |
| Enrolled in Medicare Advantage | 20,299 | 731,624 statewide |
| Medicare Advantage share | 53.3% | 51.1% statewide |
Figures come from the Census Bureau and CMS (September 2026).
With roughly 32,658 residents age 65 and older, Elkhart County is 8th among 92 Indiana counties for older residents. That group is 15.8% of its population, compared with 17.2% across Indiana. About 11,646 more people are 60 to 64 and are heading toward Medicare; our turning 65 guide explains their first steps. By age, the 65-and-older group splits 58% ages 65 to 74, 31% ages 75 to 84 and 11% age 85 and up (Census 2023). About 53.3% of people with Medicare in Elkhart County are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. That is close to the Indiana average of 51.1%. What most people do in a county is less important than what fits you. We weigh Medicare Advantage against Original Medicare with Medigap using your doctors, your drugs and your budget.
Who has Medicare in Elkhart County
Elkhart County sits in a metro area, which the USDA defines as counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. That usually means more doctors, more hospitals and more plan choices in the area.
CMS counts 37,923 Medicare beneficiaries in Elkhart County (2023). Their average age is 73, about the same as the Indiana average of 72. About 16% are “dual eligible,” meaning they have both Medicare and Medicaid, close to the state figure of 16%.
Among people in Original Medicare in Elkhart County, CMS reported about 504 emergency room visits and 205 inpatient hospital stays per 1,000 beneficiaries in 2023, which is lower than the state average for emergency visits (619) and lower than it for hospital stays (235). About 4% received home health care. These figures describe how people use care under Original Medicare; they do not show what any plan covers or costs.
Sources: CMS Medicare Geographic Variation, 2023; USDA Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, 2023.
Where you live decides which Medicare Advantage and Part D plans you can join, and Elkhart County may have a different set of plans than the counties around it. We are not based in Elkhart County; we help Elkhart County residents by phone or video call.
Hospitals located in Elkhart County
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lists these hospitals in Elkhart County:
- Elkhart General Hospital — Elkhart (acute care; government-owned; emergency services; CMS overall rating 4 of 5)
- Goshen Hospital — Goshen (acute care; nonprofit; emergency services; CMS overall rating 3 of 5)
A hospital being in the county does not mean every plan covers it. Medicare Advantage networks differ by plan, so we check the hospitals and doctors you actually use before you enroll. Ratings are CMS Care Compare overall hospital star ratings; they describe the hospital, not whether a plan covers it. Source: CMS Hospital General Information.
Elkhart County: communities and ZIP codes
The largest communities in Elkhart County by 2023 Census population estimates are Elkhart (53,484), Goshen (34,355), Nappanee (6,557), Middlebury (3,676), Wakarusa (1,999), Bristol (1,785). Each figure counts only the people living inside the county.
Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas mostly within Elkhart County number 11: 46507, 46514, 46516, 46517, 46526, 46528, 46540, 46543, 46550, 46553, 46573. Your exact ZIP code is what decides which plans you can join.
Questions about Medicare in Elkhart County?
Reach out to us: fill out our short form or call (571) 354-0146, and a licensed agent will compare the plans available to you, check your doctors and drugs, and stay with you each year at renewal. For general Medicare information, the federal helpline is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Medicare resources from official sources
- Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, searchable by ZIP code.
- HealthCare.gov if you are not yet on Medicare.
- Medicare Care Compare for hospitals and doctors.
- Social Security: Medicare to enroll or check status.
- Indiana Department of Insurance: Indiana’s insurance regulator, including agent license lookup.
Coverage we offer Elkhart County residents
We work with many carriers, which lets us compare more than one option for Elkhart County households, including ACA health insurance, ICHRA, group health insurance, life insurance, final expense insurance, annuities, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Part D drug plans.
Let’s check your Elkhart County options together
We confirm your doctors and prescriptions before you enroll, at no cost to you.
Get my plan comparisonRead next
- What Medicare Part D actually costs
- Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
- What happens if you do nothing during open enrollment?
- When can you switch Medicare plans? Every enrollment window
Elkhart County compared with similar Indiana counties
| County | Residents 65+ | Medicare Advantage share | Dual eligible share | Area type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter County | 33,101 | 39.9% | 12% | Metro |
| Vanderburgh County | 33,660 | 47.7% | 15% | Metro |
| Hendricks County | 28,842 | 51.5% | 10% | Metro |
| Johnson County | 26,818 | 52.1% | 12% | Metro |
| Madison County | 25,091 | 61.4% | 18% | Metro |
| Tippecanoe County | 23,795 | 45.0% | 14% | Metro |
See every Indiana county in our Indiana directory or go to our Indiana Medicare hub.