The Town FilesHarlan, Indiana
Community in Allen County · population 1,577 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $179,200
- Household income
- $75,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 57.3
Harlan is a community of 1,577 people in Allen County, Indiana. The median home is worth $179,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for families than 97% of Indiana towns, better transit than 79% of Indiana towns.
How Harlan 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 Harlan is worth $179,200, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $75,313, which is more affordable than 58% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $894 a month. 79.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harlan | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $894 | $888 |
| Median household income | $75,313 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 79.1% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Harlan
| People | Harlan | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 10.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 21.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in Harlan
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harlan since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on August 24, 2016 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 19, 2017.
Severe weather in Allen County since 1996
Allen County has been included in 18 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 |
| April 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Allen County
Allen County had 197,885 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,129 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Harlan itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Harlan
- Grabill, IN2.5 mi · 1,112 people · home $150,200
- Leo-Cedarville, IN5.4 mi · 3,624 people · home $370,100
- Woodburn, IN6.1 mi · 1,551 people · home $137,000
- Antwerp, OH9.8 mi · 1,676 people · home $144,800
- New Haven, IN10.2 mi · 15,583 people · home $166,900
- Hicksville, OH10.6 mi · 3,431 people · home $157,600
- Huntertown, IN12.5 mi · 9,141 people · home $298,200
- Payne, OH13.0 mi · 1,192 people · home $112,000
Harlan questions
Is Harlan, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harlan scores better for retirees than 58% of Indiana towns and quieter than 62%. 35.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in Harlan?
The median owner-occupied home in Harlan is valued at $179,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,313, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $894 a month.
What is the weather like in Harlan?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 31.1 inches of snow.
Does Harlan get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harlan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on August 24, 2016. 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)