Indiana Mesothelioma Rates: Steel Belt Legacy in the Data

Indiana’s mesothelioma burden is a product of its industrial identity. The steel mills that line the Lake Michigan shore in Gary and East Chicago, the auto assembly plants that spread across Indianapolis and central Indiana, and the power plants that fueled both sectors all relied on asbestos for insulation, fireproofing, and heat resistance.

The result: 1,044 mesothelioma deaths over 18 years, with diagnoses still occurring as workers exposed in the 1960s through 1980s reach the end of the disease’s long latency period.

State Rankings

For a full comparison of all 50 states, see our mesothelioma rates by state rankings.

County-Level Data

Lake County dominates Indiana’s asbestos mortality data. The Gary steel corridor, stretching from East Chicago through Gary to Portage, packed some of the largest integrated steel mills in the world into a 20-mile strip along Lake Michigan. US Steel Gary Works alone employed more than 30,000 workers at its peak, and asbestos was embedded in every stage of steelmaking. The same pattern of steel mill exposure drove elevated rates in Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, where integrated mills operated under identical conditions.

Marion County’s burden reflects a different industrial profile. Indianapolis was an auto manufacturing hub for much of the 20th century, with Chrysler, General Motors, and their suppliers operating plants where asbestos insulation, brake components, and gaskets were standard. Indiana’s auto industry exposure paralleled the pattern in Michigan, where Detroit’s Big Three plants created a similar legacy.

Where Exposure Happened

Indiana’s asbestos exposure traces to three primary sectors.

Gary and Northwest Indiana Steel Mills

The Gary and northwest Indiana steel corridor was the center of American steelmaking for decades. US Steel Gary Works, Inland Steel in East Chicago, and Bethlehem Steel in Burns Harbor used asbestos throughout their operations. Coke ovens, blast furnaces, and rolling mills all required heat-resistant insulation. Pipefitters, insulators, boilermakers, and maintenance workers handled asbestos materials on every shift.

Auto Plants in Indianapolis, Kokomo, and South Bend

Indiana’s auto industry, centered in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Anderson, and Kokomo, exposed assembly workers, mechanics, and maintenance crews to asbestos brake pads, clutch facings, gaskets, and insulation. Studebaker’s South Bend complex, which operated from 1852 to 1963, left a long trail of asbestos exposure among its workforce.

Coal-Fired Power Stations

Coal-fired power plants across Indiana used asbestos insulation on boilers, turbines, and steam lines. NIPSCO facilities in the northwest, Indianapolis Power and Light plants, and Duke Energy operations in southern Indiana all created exposure risk for plant workers and maintenance contractors.

Who Is Most at Risk

• Steelworkers at Gary Works, Inland Steel, Bethlehem Steel, and smaller mills
• Auto workers at Chrysler, GM, Studebaker, and parts suppliers
• Pipefitters and insulators in industrial and commercial construction
• Boilermakers at power plants and steel mills
• Construction tradespeople working in pre-1980 commercial and public buildings
• Maintenance workers across all industrial sectors
• Military veterans stationed at Indiana installations, who face elevated risk across all service branches

Legal Landscape

For an overview of all current treatment options, see the 2026 mesothelioma treatment landscape. Indiana’s asbestos trust fund claims are available to steelworkers, auto workers, and power plant employees who were exposed to products from manufacturers that have since entered bankruptcy. Because steel mills and auto plants used asbestos products from many different companies, workers often qualify for multiple trust fund claims.

Verdicts and settlements in Indiana include an $83 million verdict against a clay products manufacturer in September 2024, one of the largest asbestos verdicts in recent Midwest history.