The Town FilesNew Castle, Indiana
City in Henry County · population 17,396 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,000
- Household income
- $51,606
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.2
New Castle is a city of 17,396 people in Henry County, Indiana. The median home is worth $98,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 94% of Indiana towns, hipper than 90% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 88% of Indiana towns.
How New Castle 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 New Castle is worth $98,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $51,606, which is more affordable than 83% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $781 a month. 61.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Castle | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,000 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $781 | $888 |
| Median household income | $51,606 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in New Castle
| People | New Castle | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in New Castle
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.8 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Castle since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on May 25, 2011.
Severe weather in Henry County since 1996
Henry County has been included in 20 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 Henry County
Henry County had 13,759 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,142 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in New Castle itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in New Castle
9 public schools with 3,488 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle High School | 9-12 | 824 | 13.1 |
| New Castle Middle School | 6-8 | 633 | 11.5 |
| Wilbur Wright Elementary School | PK-6 | 327 | 14.2 |
| Blue River Valley Elementary Sch | PK-6 | 317 | 12.2 |
| Blue River Valley Jr-Sr High Sch | 7-12 | 297 | 12.4 |
| Parker Elementary School | PK-5 | 285 | 15.0 |
| Eastwood Elementary School | PK-6 | 280 | 11.7 |
| Westwood Elementary School | K-6 | 272 | 19.4 |
| James Whitcomb Riley Elem School | PK-6 | 253 | 14.9 |
Towns near New Castle
- Muncie, IN19.3 mi · 65,194 people · home $97,300
- Yorktown, IN19.5 mi · 11,548 people · home $186,700
- Anderson, IN20.6 mi · 54,788 people · home $119,000
- Centerville, IN20.8 mi · 2,748 people · home $149,200
- Rushville, IN21.2 mi · 6,208 people · home $127,300
- Pendleton, IN21.6 mi · 4,717 people · home $248,200
- Connersville, IN21.8 mi · 13,324 people · home $106,300
- Greenfield, IN23.1 mi · 23,488 people · home $216,400
New Castle questions
Is New Castle, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Castle scores better for retirees than 50% of Indiana towns and quieter than 18%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in New Castle?
The median owner-occupied home in New Castle is valued at $98,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,606, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $781 a month.
What is the weather like in New Castle?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 24.8 inches of snow.
Does New Castle get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Castle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. 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)