The Town FilesLapel, Indiana
Town in Madison County · population 2,325 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $220,400
- Household income
- $79,778
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 34.1
Lapel is a town of 2,325 people in Madison County, Indiana. The median home is worth $220,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 87% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 82% of Indiana towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Lapel 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 Lapel is worth $220,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $79,778, which is more affordable than 34% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,318 a month. 70.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lapel | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,400 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,318 | $888 |
| Median household income | $79,778 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lapel
| People | Lapel | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 16.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lapel
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 20.7°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lapel since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 14, 1972 about 9.2 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 55 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 18, 2000.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 23 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 |
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4882: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 40,192 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,965 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Lapel itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Lapel
3 public schools with 1,491 students, about 18.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lapel Elementary School | PK-5 | 687 | 21.5 |
| Lapel Sr High School | 9-12 | 466 | 16.6 |
| Lapel Middle School | 6-8 | 338 | 17.8 |
Towns near Lapel
- Pendleton, IN4.6 mi · 4,717 people · home $248,200
- Ingalls, IN5.5 mi · 2,223 people · home $189,900
- Edgewood, IN7.3 mi · 2,053 people · home $200,100
- Fortville, IN7.5 mi · 4,784 people · home $254,900
- Fishers, IN8.4 mi · 98,977 people · home $391,000
- Noblesville, IN8.7 mi · 69,604 people · home $349,700
- Anderson, IN8.9 mi · 54,788 people · home $119,000
- McCordsville, IN10.2 mi · 8,503 people · home $345,400
Lapel questions
Is Lapel, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lapel scores better for retirees than 78% of Indiana towns and quieter than 71%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.1).
How much does a house cost in Lapel?
The median owner-occupied home in Lapel is valued at $220,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,778, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,318 a month.
What is the weather like in Lapel?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 20.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.8 inches of precipitation a year and 17.6 inches of snow.
Does Lapel get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lapel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 14, 1972. 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)