Nappanee is a small city in Elkhart County, Indiana, about 16 miles south of Elkhart. With a population of 6,648 people as of 2010, this city is a small, but growing, community. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was instrumental in the city's development, which dates back to 1874. Amish farmers made Nappanee their home and contributed to the area's growth. The town's name derives from the flour that is harvested from its corn fields.
After World War II, the manufactured home and recreation vehicle industries became Nappanee's largest employers. At its height, this industry was one of the country's largest, with Nappanee the center of one of these industries. Nappanee was a major hub for the trailer industry, with one of the largest concentrations of these factories in the country.
The median age of the city's residents was 34.8 years. Twenty-seven percent of the residents were under the age of 18, while 9.3% of households had a female householder who was living alone. Twenty-four percent of households were non-families. Twenty-three percent of households were composed of single persons, and 8.6% were senior citizens living alone. Population was divided by gender, with 48.9% of the population being male and 51.9% female.