State MSM Profile: Indiana
Background & Methods
In 2015-2016, researchers at Emory University partnered with colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop methods to estimate the number of men who have sex with men (MSM) residing in each county in the United States. Using population and housing data from the American Community Survey and estimates from two peer-reviewed publications (Oster et al., 2015 & Purcell et al., 2012), they derived an indirect estimate of MSM population sizes that took into account both the urbanicity of the county as well as its density of households with a male householder and a male same-sex partner.
The full methodology is published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research - Public Health and Surveillance:
Overview of MSM in Indiana
An estimated 70,102 men who have sex with men (MSM) resided in Indiana in 2013, representing 1.6% of the 4,503,084 MSM in the United States. Of the 2,389,263 adult men of Indiana, 2.9% had had sex with another man in the past 5 years, which was less than the overall percentage of adult men in the United States who were MSM (3.9%).
Most MSM in Indiana resided in fringe counties of large metropolitan areas (36.7%). Including both central and fringe counties, 64.6% resided in a large metropolitan area.
Percentage of MSM by urbanicity, United States and Indiana, 2013
MSM in Indiana Counties
Among counties or county-equivalent areas in Indiana, Marion County had the largest population of MSM at 19,552, representing 27.9% of all MSM in the state. Brown County had the highest percentage of MSM among adult men in Indiana at 9.2%. This was greater than the percentage for Indiana as a whole, which was 2.9% of adult men.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States. 
MSM in Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson MSA had the largest metropolitan population of MSM in Indiana at 33,108, or 47.2% of all MSM in the state. Of the 682,379 adult men in Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, an estimated 4.9% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin MSA overlaps three states: Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. The Indiana portion of the MSA had 7,987 MSM, or 11.4% of all MSM in the state and 4.6% of the 175,118 MSM in the MSA. Of 253,774 adult men in the Indiana part of Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, 3.1% were MSM. This was less than the overall percentage of MSM among adult men in the MSA, which was 5.1% of adult men (175,118 out of 3,443,489).
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Louisville/Jefferson County Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Louisville/Jefferson County MSA overlaps two states: Indiana and Kentucky. The Indiana portion of the MSA had 3,695 MSM, or 5.3% of all MSM in the state and 15.7% of the 23,549 MSM in the MSA. Of 102,856 adult men in the Indiana part of Louisville/Jefferson County, 3.6% were MSM. This was less than the overall percentage of MSM among adult men in the MSA, which was 5.1% of adult men (23,549 out of 457,349).
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Fort Wayne MSA had a population of 3,224 MSM, or 4.6% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 148,960 adult men in Fort Wayne, an estimated 2.2% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
South Bend-Mishawaka Metropolitan Statistical Area
The South Bend-Mishawaka MSA overlaps two states: Indiana and Michigan. The Indiana portion of the MSA had 1,951 MSM, or 2.8% of all MSM in the state and 86.6% of the 2,254 MSM in the MSA. Of 96,096 adult men in the Indiana part of South Bend-Mishawaka, 2.0% were MSM. This was greater than the overall percentage of MSM among adult men in the MSA, which was 1.9% of adult men (2,254 out of 116,031).
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Terre Haute MSA had a population of 1,647 MSM, or 2.3% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 68,165 adult men in Terre Haute, an estimated 2.4% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Bloomington MSA had a population of 1,608 MSM, or 2.3% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 66,088 adult men in Bloomington, an estimated 2.4% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Evansville Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Evansville MSA overlaps two states: Indiana and Kentucky. The Indiana portion of the MSA had 1,578 MSM, or 2.3% of all MSM in the state and 78.7% of the 2,005 MSM in the MSA. Of 98,107 adult men in the Indiana part of Evansville, 1.6% were MSM. This was less than the overall percentage of MSM among adult men in the MSA, which was 1.7% of adult men (2,005 out of 114,891).
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Lafayette-West Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Lafayette-West Lafayette MSA had a population of 1,174 MSM, or 1.7% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 81,986 adult men in Lafayette-West Lafayette, an estimated 1.4% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Michigan City-La Porte Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Michigan City-La Porte MSA had a population of 1,092 MSM, or 1.6% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 44,827 adult men in Michigan City-La Porte, an estimated 2.4% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Elkhart-Goshen MSA had a population of 1,023 MSM, or 1.5% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 69,447 adult men in Elkhart-Goshen, an estimated 1.5% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Muncie Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Muncie MSA had a population of 820 MSM, or 1.2% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 44,704 adult men in Muncie, an estimated 1.8% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Cincinnati MSA overlaps three states: Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. The Indiana portion of the MSA had 485 MSM, or 0.7% of all MSM in the state and 1.5% of the 31,781 MSM in the MSA. Of 23,687 adult men in the Indiana part of Cincinnati, 2.0% were MSM. This was less than the overall percentage of MSM among adult men in the MSA, which was 4.1% of adult men (31,781 out of 770,623).
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Columbus MSA had a population of 436 MSM, or 0.6% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 28,669 adult men in Columbus, an estimated 1.5% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
Kokomo Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Kokomo MSA had a population of 420 MSM, or 0.6% of all MSM in Indiana. Of the 30,042 adult men in Kokomo, an estimated 1.4% were MSM.
Note: Range cutpoints for the map are based on the distribution of MSM among all counties in the United States.
