The Town FilesHamlet, Indiana
Town in Starke County · population 773 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $112,300
- Household income
- $73,542
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 29.6
Hamlet is a town of 773 people in Starke County, Indiana. The median home is worth $112,300, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 92% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 87% of Indiana towns, better for families than 75% of Indiana towns.
How Hamlet 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 Hamlet is worth $112,300, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $73,542, which is more affordable than 96% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $895 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hamlet | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,300 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $895 | $888 |
| Median household income | $73,542 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Hamlet
| People | Hamlet | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 34.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hamlet
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 15.8°F. About 42.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hamlet since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1976 about 2.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 60 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Starke County since 1996
Starke County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Starke County
Starke County had 4,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,150 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Hamlet itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Hamlet
2 public schools with 532 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon-Davis Elementary School | PK-6 | 310 | 12.9 |
| Oregon-Davis Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 222 | 9.7 |
Towns near Hamlet
- Koontz Lake, IN5.9 mi · 1,667 people · home $143,200
- Knox, IN6.4 mi · 3,662 people · home $140,300
- Walkerton, IN7.9 mi · 2,096 people · home $149,200
- Kingsford Heights, IN8.9 mi · 1,335 people · home $120,500
- Bass Lake, IN10.8 mi · 1,384 people · home $324,600
- Fish Lake, IN12.5 mi · 1,052 people · home $190,800
- North Liberty, IN13.3 mi · 1,623 people · home $162,100
- Plymouth, IN13.8 mi · 10,214 people · home $131,800
Hamlet questions
Is Hamlet, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hamlet scores better for retirees than 31% of Indiana towns and quieter than 75%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.6).
How much does a house cost in Hamlet?
The median owner-occupied home in Hamlet is valued at $112,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,542, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $895 a month.
What is the weather like in Hamlet?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 15.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.2 inches of precipitation a year and 28.5 inches of snow.
Does Hamlet get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hamlet since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 1976. 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)