The Town FilesHope, Indiana
Town in Bartholomew County · population 2,099 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,600
- Household income
- $76,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 31.2
Hope is a town of 2,099 people in Bartholomew County, Indiana. The median home is worth $148,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more of a college town than 91% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 91% of Indiana towns, better for cycling than 89% of Indiana towns.
How Hope 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 Hope is worth $148,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $76,188, which is more affordable than 78% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,156 a month. 79.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hope | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,156 | $888 |
| Median household income | $76,188 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 79.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hope
| People | Hope | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.2 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Hope
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 47.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hope since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on March 19, 2025 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 31, 2012.
Severe weather in Bartholomew County since 1996
Bartholomew County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Bartholomew County
Bartholomew County had 50,188 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $73,397 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Hope itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Hope
2 public schools with 930 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Elementary School | K-6 | 513 | 17.1 |
| Hauser Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 417 | 12.3 |
Towns near Hope
- Taylorsville, IN9.9 mi · 867 people · home $169,100
- Columbus, IN10.5 mi · 50,474 people · home $244,200
- Edinburgh, IN11.2 mi · 4,435 people · home $154,500
- St. Paul, IN11.5 mi · 960 people · home $112,200
- Waldron, IN12.0 mi · 805 people · home $165,900
- Westport, IN13.3 mi · 1,393 people · home $137,800
- Greensburg, IN14.6 mi · 12,312 people · home $191,400
- Shelbyville, IN17.1 mi · 20,067 people · home $174,700
Hope questions
Is Hope, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hope scores better for retirees than 17% of Indiana towns and quieter than 31%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.2).
How much does a house cost in Hope?
The median owner-occupied home in Hope is valued at $148,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,188, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,156 a month.
What is the weather like in Hope?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.3 inches of precipitation a year and 15.3 inches of snow.
Does Hope get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hope since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on March 19, 2025. 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)