From 2003 to 2013 the district was based primarily in the central part of the state, and consisted of all of Boone, Clinton, Hendricks, Morgan, Lawrence, Montgomery, and Tippecanoe counties and parts of Fountain, Johnson, Marion, Monroe, and White counties.

From the 2012 redistricting, the district shifted slightly north and west to include the Illinois border, while losing the eastern Indianapolis suburbs.

It currently includes Crawfordsville, Lafayette, the western Indianapolis suburbs, and portions of Kokomo.

The district is currently represented by Republican Jim Baird, who succeeded Todd Rokita, who vacated his House seat to run for the Indiana U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Joe Donnelly, losing the Republican nomination to eventual senator Mike Braun.

Howard County is mostly within the 5th district, with part of the city of Russiaville and the township of Honey Creek.