The Town FilesNew Pekin, Indiana
Town in Washington County · population 1,323 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,800
- Household income
- $50,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 37.8
New Pekin is a town of 1,323 people in Washington County, Indiana. The median home is worth $135,800, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more of a college town than 86% of Indiana towns.
How New Pekin 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 Pekin is worth $135,800, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $50,625, which is more affordable than 42% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $836 a month. 62.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Pekin | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $836 | $888 |
| Median household income | $50,625 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in New Pekin
| People | New Pekin | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in New Pekin
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 24.3°F. About 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 104 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Pekin since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.7 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 12 deaths and 91 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Washington County since 1996
Washington County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Washington County
Washington County had 5,753 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,972 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in New Pekin itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in New Pekin
3 public schools with 1,355 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Washington Elementary School | PK-4 | 532 | 19.7 |
| East Washington Middle School | 5-8 | 434 | 18.1 |
| Eastern High School | 9-12 | 389 | 15.0 |
Towns near New Pekin
- Borden, IN4.1 mi · 786 people · home $174,500
- Palmyra, IN8.3 mi · 898 people · home $163,800
- Salem, IN8.4 mi · 6,371 people · home $144,700
- Greenville, IN9.1 mi · 1,365 people · home $318,900
- Galena, IN10.8 mi · 1,726 people · home $281,200
- Memphis, IN13.4 mi · 1,077 people · home $235,900
- Henryville, IN13.6 mi · 1,878 people · home $204,000
- New Salisbury, IN13.8 mi · 550 people · home $179,200
New Pekin questions
Is New Pekin, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Pekin scores better for retirees than 16% of Indiana towns and quieter than 25%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in New Pekin?
The median owner-occupied home in New Pekin is valued at $135,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,625, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $836 a month.
What is the weather like in New Pekin?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 24.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.9 inches of precipitation a year and 14.1 inches of snow.
Does New Pekin get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Pekin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 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)