The Town FilesMontezuma, Indiana
Town in Parke County · population 921 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,400
- Household income
- $56,974
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 43.6
Montezuma is a town of 921 people in Parke County, Indiana. The median home is worth $80,400, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 80% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 79% of Indiana towns.
How Montezuma 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 Montezuma is worth $80,400, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $56,974, which is more affordable than 98% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $959 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Montezuma | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,400 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $959 | $888 |
| Median household income | $56,974 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 80.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Montezuma
| People | Montezuma | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.8% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.2% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 0.6% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Montezuma
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.0 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montezuma since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 22, 1963 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 7, 1998.
Severe weather in Parke County since 1996
Parke 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 Parke County
Parke County had 3,575 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,489 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Montezuma itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in Montezuma
2 public schools with 710 students, about 10.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverton Parke Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 485 | 10.8 |
| Montezuma Elementary School | PK-6 | 225 | 9.4 |
Towns near Montezuma
- Dana, IN6.7 mi · 555 people · home $55,500
- Rockville, IN7.6 mi · 2,510 people · home $99,600
- Fairview Park, IN7.9 mi · 1,409 people · home $104,800
- Clinton, IN9.2 mi · 4,831 people · home $101,600
- St. Bernice, IN9.8 mi · 595 people · home $92,700
- Cayuga, IN11.9 mi · 952 people · home $79,800
- Rosedale, IN12.5 mi · 636 people · home $99,000
- Kingman, IN13.0 mi · 559 people · home $112,500
Montezuma questions
Is Montezuma, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Montezuma scores better for retirees than 15% of Indiana towns and quieter than 80%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Montezuma?
The median owner-occupied home in Montezuma is valued at $80,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,974, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $959 a month.
What is the weather like in Montezuma?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 13.0 inches of snow.
Does Montezuma get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montezuma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 22, 1963. 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)