The Town FilesKoontz Lake, Indiana
Community in Starke County · population 1,667 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $143,200
- Household income
- $80,538
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 55.0
Koontz Lake is a community of 1,667 people in Starke County, Indiana. The median home is worth $143,200, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 96% of Indiana towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of Indiana towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Indiana towns.
How Koontz Lake 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 Koontz Lake is worth $143,200, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $80,538, which is more affordable than 87% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 88.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Koontz Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $663 | $888 |
| Median household income | $80,538 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 88.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 31.0% | — |
Who lives in Koontz Lake
| People | Koontz Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 54.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Koontz Lake
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.9 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Koontz Lake since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 1976 about 0.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 60 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.75 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 Koontz Lake itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Towns near Koontz Lake
- Walkerton, IN3.7 mi · 2,096 people · home $149,200
- Hamlet, IN5.9 mi · 773 people · home $112,300
- North Liberty, IN8.7 mi · 1,623 people · home $162,100
- Plymouth, IN9.3 mi · 10,214 people · home $131,800
- Fish Lake, IN10.6 mi · 1,052 people · home $190,800
- Knox, IN11.2 mi · 3,662 people · home $140,300
- Kingsford Heights, IN12.0 mi · 1,335 people · home $120,500
- Lakeville, IN13.2 mi · 879 people · home $136,500
Koontz Lake questions
Is Koontz Lake, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Koontz Lake scores better for retirees than 68% of Indiana towns and quieter than 96%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.0).
How much does a house cost in Koontz Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Koontz Lake is valued at $143,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,538, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Koontz Lake?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 54.9 inches of snow.
Does Koontz Lake get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Koontz Lake 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)