Themes & Goals

Goal

Position Westfield as a dynamic and resilient economic hub by fostering a diversified business base, cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship, strengthening workforce talent, and leveraging strategic investments in infrastructure, quality of place, and partnerships — ensuring the city’s sustained competitiveness, prosperity, and leadership within the regional economy.

Where are we in 2025?

Westfield’s employment opportunities and its resident workforce are unaligned. Residents tend to have higher-paying jobs, but they are commuting outside of Westfield for work. Of Westfield’s working resident population of 23,487 people, only 2,005 of those people work in Westfield. There is opportunity for the City of Westfield to attract high-earning industries to be supported by its resident workforce.

The number of people who live and work in Westfield-Washington Township has grown from 1,160 people in 2002 to 2,005 people in 2021 (a 72.8 percent increase); however, most residents commute outside the city/township for work.

The median household income in Westfield-Washington Township continues to increase. It increased from $86,360 in 2010 to $99,855 in 2020 and again to $123,456 in 2024. Westfield-Washington Township income is high in comparison to Indiana. Indiana’s median household income in 2023 was $69,477.

The fastest-growing industries from 2002 to 2021 were construction, arts, entertainment, and recreation.

More than 8,000 Westfield-Washington Township workers work for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. These are often local businesses that contribute to market diversity.

What needs to be done?

• Create world-class infrastructure and quality of place amenities that support business operations and attract residents and visitors.
• Maximize economic development impact through strategic partnerships, regional collaboration, and multi-sector engagement. 
• Cultivate an innovative ecosystem that supports startup creation, business scaling, and technology adoption across all sectors.
• Build a skilled, adaptable workforce that meets current and future business needs while attracting and retaining top talent.
• Create a robust, diversified economic base that can withstand market fluctuations and provide sustainable growth opportunities.

Goal

Westfield will be a model community that provides diverse and accessible housing opportunities for residents across all income levels, life stages, and household compositions. As Westfield’s housing opportunities change, the city will maintain its distinctive character and quality of life through innovative planning, strategic partnerships, and equitable development practices that support long-term economic vitality and environmental stewardship.

Where are we in 2025?

Low housing vacancy and a lack of housing diversity persist in the community, even with significant housing development over the past decade.

Westfield-Washington Township had an estimated 19,970 housing units in 2022. Nearly 80 percent of housing units are single-unit detached and owner-occupied.

Over 65 percent of Westfield’s housing was built after 2000, which means there is less upkeep and maintenance and a greater likelihood of meeting housing needs as compared to the region.

The desirability of the community and limited housing vacancy can drive housing costs up and reduce the affordability of housing.

More than 60 percent of households in Westfield are housing cost-burdened. 

U.S. Census Bureau states the median home value in Westfield-Washington Township in 2024 is $450,000, with 86 percent of owner-occupied housing is valued over $300,000.

Nearly 79 percent of housing units have 3 or more bedrooms, but only 43.8 percent of households have 3 or more people, suggesting a lack of “right-sized” housing.

What needs to be done?

• Focus on regulatory and zoning modernization to provide housing opportunities in Westfield.
• Develop village master plans for Lamong, Eagletown, Jolietville, Hortonville, and other applicable areas.
• Align the placetypes map with regulatory standards to reflect the development patterns in the residential placetypes.
• Plan for mixed-use trail-oriented development (TrOD) nodes along the Monon and Midland Trace Trails.
• Support efforts such as a community land trust and related tools to increase the supply of attainable housing.
• Support diversification of the housing types and integration of neighborhood supporting uses into neighborhoods.

Goal

People recognize the quality of place in Westfield that make it a choice community. It is a place where the local history and natural features are ingrained through public art and initiatives. Events, programming, and recreation for people of all ages is a focus of the Westfield community.

Why is this important?

Within a metropolitan region, people choose where to live based on several factors, many of which relate to the quality of the place, including its art, cultural opportunities, parks and recreational programming, natural environment, and schools.

Westfield has made a significant investment in youth sports, particularly for people from out of town. The community also has a rich high school sports history and culture. Expanding those investments to meet the needs of the local community, including people of all ages and demographics, will help the community grow a reputation for being an active community.

Mature trees and natural areas are limited and take time to establish or reestablish. Preserving them as much as possible and planning for the future will help Westfield residents enjoy natural beauty and the benefits of natural spaces.

Where are we in 2025?

The area now known as Westfield–Washington Township was first inhabited by the Delaware and Miami Native American tribes. A group of Quakers from North Carolina arrived and settled in the area in 1832. Carolinian Quakers came to Westfield largely to escape the slave economy of the South. When the Civil War began, some men from Westfield–Washington Township fought for the Union. There were a significant number of community members in Westfield who contributed to the Underground Railroad, hiding runaway slaves as they traveled from Madison, Indiana, toward South Bend.

Unincorporated areas west of Little Eagle Creek are mostly agricultural.

Recreational uses comprise 1,640 acres, or 5.1 percent of total acres. Most recreational uses are either public parks owned by the City, township, or county government, or privately owned golf courses and other recreational facilities, such as Grand Park. There are three golf courses in the city, which are surrounded by residential subdivisions: Chatham Hills, Wood Wind, and Bridgewater.

Most places in Westfield are within a half mile of a trail or multiuse pathway. Westfield has 85.63 miles of trails within corporate limits. There are two regional trails in Westfield that connect to distant communities in the same region: the Monon Trail and the Midland Trace Trail. The Monon Trail provides a north–south connection to Carmel and Indianapolis, while the Midland Trace Trail provides an east–west connection to Noblesville.

Newer subdivisions often include internal trail systems, recreational amenities, and pathways to nearby businesses.

The City of Westfield Parks Department manages 14 parks and properties.

What needs to be done?

• Communicate and celebrate local history by continually developing public art and placemaking initiatives.
• Invest in local recreation facilities and programming for residents of all ages, abilities, and interests.
• Encourage developments and industries that integrate agriculture, including agri-tourism, agri-neighborhoods, and parks.
• Establish quality tree standards and natural riparian corridors to preserve, maintain, and enhance the natural environment, where appropriate. 
• Maintain and improve passive green spaces that provide valuable connections to nature.

Goal

Westfield’s transportation strategy focuses on modernizing the street network to ensure the safe and efficient flow of traffic for all modes. The strategy emphasizes reducing car dependency and supporting higher-density housing types through improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, enhanced bus and trolley service, and mixed-use development patterns that integrate housing, employment, retail, and service opportunities.

Why this is important

• Roadway function and design should match the density and intensity of land use.
• Many roadways lack comfortable infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Improving traffic safety through thoughtful design will become increasingly important as the city grows.

Where are we in 2025?

Westfield’s major and minor arterial and collector roads follow a macro grid pattern, providing an easy-to-navigate transportation system. U.S. 31 roughly bisects the city and carries the highest traffic volumes, followed by State Road 32 (Main Street) and 146th Street.

The 2024 baseline year Level of Service analysis shows that all roads meet or exceed acceptable levels of service, except at the intersections of State Road 32 and Gray Road, 146th Street and Gray Road, and 161st Street and U.S. 31.

A five-year crash analysis identified a total of 204 fatal or serious injury (KSI) crashes between 2019 and 2023. Bicycle and pedestrian crashes accounted for 9.8 percent of all KSI crashes but represented 28.6 percent of fatal crashes.

Like many Hamilton County communities, Westfield has constructed several single- and multi-lane roundabouts at intersections to improve both safety and traffic operations.

Westfield has an increasingly comprehensive multimodal transportation system. The shared-use path and trail system currently includes approximately 278 miles of public and private sidewalks and more than 80 miles of trails owned by the City of Westfield.

What needs to be done?

• Maintain and modernize the street network to provide for current and future transportation needs that ensure safety for all modes of transportation.
• Establish street design standards, including traffic calming tools, landscaping, and lighting standards to enhance safety and the user experience. 
• Create a comprehensive trails plan for trail development and design.
• Provide public transportation between important entertainment and commercial destinations.

Goals

Ensure that utility infrastructure accommodates growth through proactive coordination with utility owners and developers, protection and maintenance of existing assets, and prioritization of green infrastructure.

Why this is important

• Proactive expansion of utility infrastructure is essential to support community activities and future growth.
• Close coordination with utility owners ensures that existing infrastructure can accommodate planned development.
• Maintaining existing infrastructure reduces the likelihood of failure and lowers the long-term costs of rehabilitation and replacement.
• Low-impact development (LID) and green infrastructure provide effective stormwater management while minimizing impervious surfaces, preserving natural features, and improving flood resilience.

Where are we in 2025?

The drinking water and wastewater systems were acquired by Citizens Energy Group (Citizens) in 2014. Any expansions, modifications, or improvements to these systems require coordination with and approval from Citizens.

Drinking water is supplied by 15 wells, with a treatment capacity of 11.8 million gallons per day (MGD) of finished water. The distribution system has a total storage capacity of 3.58 million gallons, which is likely less than average daily consumption.

The wastewater collection system is a fully separated sanitary sewer system, and there do not appear to be any significant infiltration and inflow (I/I) issues. The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) was expanded in 2023 to treat a design average daily flow (ADF) of 5.0 MGD, a peak hourly flow of 12.0 MGD, and a maximum daily flow (MDF) of 10.0 MGD. From 2022 to 2024, the average daily flow was 3.43 MGD, representing 68.6 percent of the design ADF, while the maximum daily flow was 7.26 MGD, or 72.6 percent of the design MDF.

The City of Westfield owns and operates a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) that is permitted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. To meet MS4 General Permit requirements, an update to the Stormwater Master Plan (SWMP) was completed in 2022, and a Stormwater Quality Management Plan (SWQMP) was completed in 2023. The SWMP identifies known drainage, flooding, and water quality problem areas and evaluates potential solutions. The SWQMP identifies several waterways within the City of Westfield as 303(d) Impaired Waters, including Cool Creek, Grassy Branch, Jones Ditch, Lindley Ditch, Little Eagle Creek, Sly Run, and Woodruff Branch, all of which are impaired for recreational use.

There is limited right-of-way available to perform maintenance on older infrastructure.

What needs to be done?

• Work closely with Citizens on expansions, modifications, and improvements to the water and wastewater systems necessary to support development.
• Maximize the useful life of existing infrastructure through regular inspection and maintenance.
• Eliminate illicit discharges and address problem areas identified in the SWMP and SWQMP to reduce flooding and improve water quality.
• Prioritize sustainable stormwater management in future development.