The 2025 Indiana Civic Health Index offers a comprehensive snapshot of how Hoosiers participate in civic life and what those patterns mean for the state’s democratic future.
Indiana has been a national leader in measuring civic health for more than a decade, producing regular Civic Health Index reports since 2011 and building one of the longest-running state-level civic health data series in the country. Drawing on the most recent data from AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census, this report examines voting and registration, community engagement, youth civic participation, and civic education policy to understand how civic life in Indiana is evolving over time.
The report finds encouraging momentum in voter registration and turnout between 2022 and 2024, with Indiana improving its national rankings in both areas. At the same time, Indiana has work to do to catch up with the national average, particularly among young people, lower-income residents, and those facing information and access barriers. Beyond elections, the Index highlights a mixed civic landscape: strong gains in volunteering, charitable giving, and helping neighbors coexist with declines in social connectedness, political discussion, and engagement with local institutions. These findings are possible because Indiana has consistently invested in tracking civic trends across election cycles, economic shifts, and generational change.
Importantly, the 2025 Indiana Civic Health Index is both a reflection and a call to action grounded in evidence. It underscores the power of civic education—especially youth-focused programs—as a long-term investment in democratic resilience, while emphasizing the need for clearer information, lower barriers to participation, and stronger community infrastructure. By sustaining its tradition of rigorous civic measurement and aligning policy, education, and community-led efforts, Indiana is uniquely positioned to translate data into action and strengthen civic life for the next generation of Hoosiers.
The Indiana Civic Health Index was produced in partnership with the Indiana Bar Foundation, Eli Lily and Company, The Center for Representative Government – Indiana University, Indiana University Northwest, Ball State University, Indiana Civics Coalition, and Indiana Citizens Education Foundation, Inc.
Data Citation: AmeriCorps. Current Population Survey Civic Engagement and Volunteering (CEV) Supplement, 2023. Analytical version. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau [producer]. Washington, DC: AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation [producer and distributor].
