Indiana

The 16th most populous state with about 6.3 million people, Indiana is a Midwestern state known for its strong sports culture, agricultural history, and manufacturing. Although predominantly non-Hispanic white (about 85 percent), Hispanics (about 5 percent) are the fastest growing demographic in the state. Social networks among Hispanics are strong, typically encompassing extended families. Since 1990, population growth has been centered in four counties surrounding the capital city of Indianapolis (Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, and Johnson) and in Dearborn County on the Ohio border within commuting distance of Cincinnati. Citizens of Indiana bear the affectionate title of Hoosier, which is speculated to derive from a term of derision common in the upland south meaning a roughneck type of country bumpkin. The usage of the term drifted north and west, where it was first applied to the presumably unsophisticated citizens of southern Indiana, later expanding to include the entire state. The derogatory meaning has faded into obscurity, and today Hoosiers bear the name with pride, adding a sense of cohesiveness to the network of all citizens of Indiana.

The Indianapolis-adjacent counties are also the wealthiest in Indiana, which says something about the nature of that growth: as business in Indianapolis grows, more and more affluent Indianapolis workers are buying homes in the suburbs. For a state so strongly associated with farming and manufacturing in the past, this is quite a change. Although there is a manufacturing sector in Indianapolis, it is smaller than in the rest of the state, and the city relies more on retail and social, professional, technical, and scientific services. Many of the Indianapolis region's strong social networks are among white-collar and service-sector workers. A major distribution hub for Amazon, CVS Pharmacy, and Target, it is also a FedEx hub and home to a significant number of logistics and distribution facilities and companies. Indianapolis is home to the headquarters of pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly, as well as Republic Airways, health insurance provider Wellpoint, and Technicolor SA. Other major employers include Sallie Mae, Rolls Royce, and General Motors. In the years before Detroit's domination of American automobile manufacturing, Indianapolis was one of the premiere auto towns, and that history with automobiles persists in the form of the Indianapolis 500.

Elsewhere in the state, social networks among farmers remain critical, even as agriculture shrinks in its share of the state's economy. Even Bloomington, home of the huge main campus of Indiana University, is surrounded by farming communities, and during students' departure in summer, the town greatly resembles a farming community, with local farmers socializing over breakfast at local restaurants, bringing their goods to weekend farmers markets alongside members of nearby Mennonite communities, and lingering at feed stores for conversation.