Muncie's working class was prosperous during the heyday of the natural gas boom, which brought pioneering industrialists to the region. In fact, the population of Muncie increased fifteen times by the 1960s compared to the previous year, almost double the growth rate of New York City. The city's manufacturing capability produced Delco car batteries for General Motors, transmission casings for Chevrolets, and iron castings for Westinghouse. The city's industries also produced television plates, machine tools, and glass insulators, among many other items.
The city's population is divided into different strata by race, with 18.8% of the population being under the age of 18 years, 24.2% of those between 25 and 44 years old, and 18.3% from 45 to 64. Thirteen percent of the population is over the age of 65. The median age is 29 years, and males outnumber females by nearly eight to one. Males age 18 and over outnumber females eighty-six to every one hundred.
The city's population is approximately 67,999. It is the 538th-largest city in the United States. It is located in Delaware County and covers an area of 27.2 square miles. The city's population peaked in 1990 at 71,828 residents. That means it is 5.3% smaller than its previous peak. However, the city is still growing. So what's the population of Muncie?