The Town FilesKnox, Indiana
City in Starke County · population 3,662 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $140,300
- Household income
- $48,931
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 43.6
Knox is a city of 3,662 people in Starke County, Indiana. The median home is worth $140,300, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks hipper than 98% of Indiana towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 82% of Indiana towns.
How Knox 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 Knox is worth $140,300, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $48,931, which is more affordable than 29% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $540 a month. 59.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Knox | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $140,300 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $540 | $888 |
| Median household income | $48,931 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 59.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Knox
| People | Knox | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in Knox
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
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knox since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1976 about 0.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 32 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 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 Knox itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Knox
3 public schools with 1,704 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox Community Elementary School | PK-4 | 703 | 19.0 |
| Knox Community High School | 9-12 | 524 | 13.8 |
| Knox Community Middle School | 5-8 | 477 | 15.4 |
Towns near Knox
- Plymouth, IN16.2 mi · 10,214 people · home $131,800
- Westville, IN22.5 mi · 5,257 people · home $139,300
- La Porte, IN22.6 mi · 22,471 people · home $157,500
- Valparaiso, IN25.9 mi · 34,151 people · home $267,300
- Bremen, IN26.7 mi · 4,696 people · home $211,700
- Rochester, IN27.2 mi · 6,270 people · home $137,400
- Shorewood Forest, IN29.7 mi · 3,033 people · home $479,100
Knox questions
Is Knox, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Knox scores better for retirees than 58% of Indiana towns and quieter than 22%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Knox?
The median owner-occupied home in Knox is valued at $140,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,931, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $540 a month.
What is the weather like in Knox?
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 Knox get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Knox 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)