Notre Dame is a census-designated place

Census-designated place

A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...

 north of South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...

 in St. Joseph County, Indiana

St. Joseph County, Indiana

As of the census of 2000, there were 265,559 people, 100,743 households, and 66,792 families residing in the county. The population density was 581 people per square mile . There were 107,013 housing units at an average density of 234 per square mile...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

, Saint Mary's College

Saint Mary's College (Indiana)

Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It is located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are the University of Notre Dame and Holy...

, and Holy Cross College

Holy Cross College (Indiana)

Holy Cross College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, residential institution of higher education in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame...

. Notre Dame is split between Clay

Clay Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana

Clay Township is one of 13 townships in St. Joseph County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 39,145.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Clay Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Cities, towns, villages:* Georgetown* Granger *...

 and Portage

Portage Township, St. Joseph County, Indiana

Portage Township is one of thirteen townships in St. Joseph County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 94,916.-Geography:...

 Townships. As of the 2010 census

United States Census, 2010

The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...

, its population was 5,973.

Holy Cross Religious Communities

Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame is a retirement community offering continuing care in Notre Dame, Indiana. It is owned by the Brothers of Holy Cross and managed by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation.

Notre Dame, Indiana is also the home of three major headquarters of Holy Cross religious communities

Roman Catholic religious order

Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...

. On the campus of Saint Mary's College the Sisters of the Holy Cross

Sisters of the Holy Cross

The Sisters of the Holy Cross headquartered on the same grounds as Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, is one of three Catholic congregations of religious sisters which trace their origins to the foundation of the Congregation of Holy Cross by the Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau,...

 have their Congregational Administration. The Holy Cross College campus is the location of the Provincial

Provincial superior

A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...

 Offices of two provinces

Ecclesiastical Province

An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...

 of the Congregation of Holy Cross

Congregation of Holy Cross

The Congregation of Holy Cross or Congregatio a Sancta Cruce is a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers founded in 1837 by Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau, CSC, in Le Mans, France....

: the Midwest Province of Brothers and the Indiana Province of Priests and Brothers.

Government and infrastructure

As unincorporated communities do not have a municipal government, Notre Dame, Indiana's government entities are the United States post office

Post office

A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...

 and the colleges' police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

 forces. All colleges and universities in Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

 are entitled to an independent police force by law. The University of Notre Dame also has its own fire department and supplies its own water and power utilities, except University Village and Cripe Street Apartments, Notre Dame's family and married housing get their electricity from AEP

American Electric Power

American Electric Power is a major investor-owner electric utility in various parts of the United States. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S...

. The ZIP code

ZIP Code

ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...

 for Notre Dame, Indiana is 46556.

The United States Postal Service

United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 Notre Dame Post Office is located in the southwest corner of Hammes Mowbray Hall, west of East Gate along Juniper Road on the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

campus.