The Town FilesJonesboro, Indiana
City in Grant County · population 1,516 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $79,500
- Household income
- $45,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 42.2
Jonesboro is a city of 1,516 people in Grant County, Indiana. The median home is worth $79,500, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks hipper than 90% of Indiana towns, quieter than 79% of Indiana towns.
How Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro is worth $79,500, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $45,833, which is more affordable than 90% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 78.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jonesboro | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $975 | $888 |
| Median household income | $45,833 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 78.9% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Jonesboro
| People | Jonesboro | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Jonesboro
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 2.2 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 319 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on July 5, 1961.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 22 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 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 27,333 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,883 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Jonesboro itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in Jonesboro
1 public school with 487 students, about 21.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westview Elementary School | PK-1 | 487 | 21.2 |
Towns near Jonesboro
- Gas City, IN2.0 mi · 6,157 people · home $119,300
- Fairmount, IN4.4 mi · 2,682 people · home $103,200
- Marion, IN5.1 mi · 28,310 people · home $85,300
- Upland, IN6.9 mi · 3,821 people · home $203,200
- Sweetser, IN9.4 mi · 1,075 people · home $153,400
- Summitville, IN10.0 mi · 989 people · home $101,600
- Swayzee, IN10.4 mi · 918 people · home $121,000
- Van Buren, IN11.5 mi · 790 people · home $69,800
Jonesboro questions
Is Jonesboro, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jonesboro scores better for retirees than 65% of Indiana towns and quieter than 79%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Jonesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Jonesboro is valued at $79,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,833, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Jonesboro?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 24.5 inches of snow.
Does Jonesboro get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. 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)