The Town FilesOaktown, Indiana
Town in Knox County · population 581 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $65,200
- Household income
- $38,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 48.7
Oaktown is a town of 581 people in Knox County, Indiana. The median home is worth $65,200, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 99% of Indiana towns, better for retirees than 90% of Indiana towns.
How Oaktown 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 Oaktown is worth $65,200, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $38,333, which is more affordable than 90% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $697 a month. 59.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oaktown | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $65,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $697 | $888 |
| Median household income | $38,333 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 59.3% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oaktown
| People | Oaktown | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.7 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.0% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.6% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Oaktown
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 22.4°F. About 45.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oaktown since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 10, 1959 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 9, 1992.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| June 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1997: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
Jobs and pay in Knox County
Knox County had 17,077 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,982 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Oaktown itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Oaktown
- Carlisle, IN6.5 mi · 625 people · home $73,000
- Freelandville, IN7.1 mi · 617 people · home $92,000
- Bicknell, IN9.8 mi · 3,029 people · home $66,300
- Palestine, IL12.9 mi · 1,233 people · home $81,300
- Vincennes, IN14.0 mi · 16,759 people · home $111,600
- Sullivan, IN15.7 mi · 4,264 people · home $128,100
- Lawrenceville, IL16.6 mi · 4,164 people · home $71,300
- Dugger, IN16.9 mi · 797 people · home $87,800
Oaktown questions
Is Oaktown, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oaktown scores better for retirees than 90% of Indiana towns and quieter than 99%. 23.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.7).
How much does a house cost in Oaktown?
The median owner-occupied home in Oaktown is valued at $65,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,333, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $697 a month.
What is the weather like in Oaktown?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 22.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.4 inches of precipitation a year and 15.1 inches of snow.
Does Oaktown get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oaktown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 10, 1959. 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)