Eaton, Indiana

Eaton is a town in Union Township, Delaware County, Indiana, along the Mississinewa River. The population was 1,595 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Muncie Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Eaton was laid out and platted in 1854. The town was incorporated September 10, 1873, soon after the railroad had been built through the neighborhood.

The first discovery of natural gas in Indiana occurred in the town of Eaton in 1876. The discovery set off the Indiana Gas Boom, leading to two decades of rapid regional growth.

According to the 2010 census, Eaton has a total area of 3.76 square miles (9.74 km²), of which 3.7 square miles (9.58 km²) (or 98.4%) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) (or 1.6%) is water.

As of the census of 2020, there were 1,595 people, 661 households, and 379 families living in the town. The population density was 420.8 inhabitants per square mile (162.5/km²). There were 779 housing units at an average density of 205.5 per square mile (79.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.2% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American or Alaskan Native, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 661 households, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 23.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 6.9% were non-families. 51.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01.

27.5% of the population had never been married. 41.7% of residents were married and not separated, 8.1% were widowed, 18.9% were divorced, and 3.6% were separated.

The median age in the town was 34.6. 6.8% of residents were under the age of 5; 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 77.3% were age 18 or older; and 17.6% were age 65 or older. 9.4% of the population were veterans.