The Town FilesFrench Lick, Indiana
Town in Orange County · population 1,722 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,100
- Household income
- $54,519
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 41.4
French Lick is a town of 1,722 people in Orange County, Indiana. The median home is worth $85,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for cycling than 81% of Indiana towns.
How French Lick ranks
Percentile among Indiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Indiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in French Lick is worth $85,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $54,519, which is more affordable than 94% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $828 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | French Lick | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,100 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $828 | $888 |
| Median household income | $54,519 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in French Lick
| People | French Lick | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in French Lick
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.4°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.8 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French Lick since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 8.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4882: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 7,372 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,076 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in French Lick itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in French Lick
2 public schools with 885 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springs Valley Comm High School | 6-12 | 452 | 16.1 |
| Springs Valley Elementary School | PK-5 | 433 | 16.7 |
Towns near French Lick
- West Baden Springs, IN1.7 mi · 541 people · home $163,800
- Paoli, IN8.1 mi · 3,666 people · home $150,700
- Orleans, IN12.1 mi · 2,108 people · home $117,500
- Shoals, IN12.6 mi · 677 people · home $151,500
- Mitchell, IN15.3 mi · 3,933 people · home $114,500
- English, IN16.6 mi · 685 people · home $94,700
- Loogootee, IN18.3 mi · 2,601 people · home $148,500
- Marengo, IN19.2 mi · 829 people · home $96,300
French Lick questions
Is French Lick, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, French Lick scores better for retirees than 57% of Indiana towns and quieter than 64%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in French Lick?
The median owner-occupied home in French Lick is valued at $85,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,519, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $828 a month.
What is the weather like in French Lick?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 12.8 inches of snow.
Does French Lick get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French Lick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 2, 1990. The typical Indiana town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)