The Town FilesIndianapolis, Indiana
City in Marion County · population 887,642 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $224,800
- Household income
- $66,219
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 34.3
Indianapolis is a city of 887,642 people in Marion County, Indiana. The median home is worth $224,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Indiana towns, better transit than 94% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 93% of Indiana towns.
How Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis is worth $224,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $66,219, which is more affordable than 10% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,156 a month. 56.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Indianapolis | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $224,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,156 | $888 |
| Median household income | $66,219 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 56.0% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Indianapolis
| People | Indianapolis | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Indianapolis
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 44.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Indianapolis since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 11, 1998 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 175 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 29, 1965.
Severe weather in Marion County since 1996
Marion County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Marion County
Marion County had 625,533 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $76,163 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Indianapolis itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Indianapolis
236 public schools with 151,044 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Connections Academy (charter) | K-12 | 5,475 | 32.2 |
| North Central High School | 9-12 | 3,616 | 17.2 |
| Warren Central High School | 9-12 | 3,398 | 18.2 |
| Franklin Central High School | 9-12 | 3,381 | 18.9 |
| Ben Davis High School | 10-12 | 3,274 | 18.2 |
| Pike High School | 9-12 | 3,193 | 15.9 |
| Lawrence North High School | 9-12 | 2,832 | 18.9 |
| Arsenal Technical High School | 9-12 | 2,524 | 18.6 |
| Lawrence Central High School | 9-12 | 2,417 | 19.2 |
| Southport High School | 9-12 | 2,376 | 17.7 |
| Perry Meridian High School | 9-12 | 2,373 | 18.4 |
| Decatur Central High School | 9-12 | 2,061 | 16.1 |
Towns near Indianapolis
- Beech Grove, IN5.2 mi · 14,717 people · home $182,600
- Speedway, IN5.5 mi · 13,952 people · home $228,600
- Lawrence, IN10.3 mi · 49,370 people · home $230,100
- Cumberland, IN10.7 mi · 5,954 people · home $239,200
- Greenwood, IN12.2 mi · 63,830 people · home $276,100
- Carmel, IN13.0 mi · 99,757 people · home $486,800
- Avon, IN13.2 mi · 21,474 people · home $323,800
- Brownsburg, IN13.3 mi · 28,973 people · home $309,400
Indianapolis questions
Is Indianapolis, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Indianapolis scores better for retirees than 7% of Indiana towns and quieter than 4%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).
How much does a house cost in Indianapolis?
The median owner-occupied home in Indianapolis is valued at $224,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,219, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,156 a month.
What is the weather like in Indianapolis?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.6 inches of precipitation a year and 25.5 inches of snow.
Does Indianapolis get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Indianapolis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 11, 1998. 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)