The Town FilesOolitic, Indiana
Town in Lawrence County · population 1,137 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $138,200
- Household income
- $59,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 46.9
Oolitic is a town of 1,137 people in Lawrence County, Indiana. The median home is worth $138,200, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 88% of Indiana towns, quieter than 80% of Indiana towns.
How Oolitic 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 Oolitic is worth $138,200, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $59,018, which is more affordable than 64% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $814 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oolitic | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,200 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $814 | $888 |
| Median household income | $59,018 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oolitic
| People | Oolitic | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.2% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 19.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Oolitic
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.4 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oolitic since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 5.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 55 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 25, 2011.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1997: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 13,507 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,342 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Oolitic itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Oolitic
1 public school with 236 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollens Elementary | K-8 | 236 | 11.8 |
Towns near Oolitic
- Avoca, IN2.3 mi · 545 people · home $211,600
- Bedford, IN3.0 mi · 13,792 people · home $152,400
- Harrodsburg, IN8.7 mi · 656 people · home $182,800
- Mitchell, IN11.1 mi · 3,933 people · home $114,500
- Smithville-Sanders, IN11.5 mi · 3,323 people · home $259,100
- Orleans, IN16.5 mi · 2,108 people · home $117,500
- Bloomington, IN18.7 mi · 79,168 people · home $321,400
- Medora, IN19.6 mi · 635 people · home $82,300
Oolitic questions
Is Oolitic, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oolitic scores better for retirees than 98% of Indiana towns and quieter than 80%. 30.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Oolitic?
The median owner-occupied home in Oolitic is valued at $138,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,018, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $814 a month.
What is the weather like in Oolitic?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.4 inches of snow.
Does Oolitic get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oolitic since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 2, 1990. 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)