The Town FilesOrleans, Indiana
Town in Orange County · population 2,108 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $117,500
- Household income
- $65,330
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 48.2
Orleans is a town of 2,108 people in Orange County, Indiana. The median home is worth $117,500, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for retirees than 85% of Indiana towns, more of a college town than 78% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 71% of Indiana towns.
How Orleans 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 Orleans is worth $117,500, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $65,330, which is more affordable than 87% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $850 a month. 59.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orleans | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $850 | $888 |
| Median household income | $65,330 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 59.6% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Orleans
| People | Orleans | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.0% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Orleans
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.4°F. About 49.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.8 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 57 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 19 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 |
| 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 Orange County
Orange County had 7,372 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,076 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Orleans itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Orleans
2 public schools with 886 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Elementary School | PK-6 | 488 | 14.8 |
| Orleans Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 398 | 12.4 |
Towns near Orleans
- Mitchell, IN5.4 mi · 3,933 people · home $114,500
- Paoli, IN7.3 mi · 3,666 people · home $150,700
- Campbellsburg, IN10.1 mi · 529 people · home $150,400
- West Baden Springs, IN10.7 mi · 541 people · home $163,800
- French Lick, IN12.1 mi · 1,722 people · home $85,100
- Bedford, IN13.9 mi · 13,792 people · home $152,400
- Oolitic, IN16.5 mi · 1,137 people · home $138,200
- Shoals, IN18.5 mi · 677 people · home $151,500
Orleans questions
Is Orleans, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orleans scores better for retirees than 85% of Indiana towns and quieter than 69%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
How much does a house cost in Orleans?
The median owner-occupied home in Orleans is valued at $117,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,330, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $850 a month.
What is the weather like in Orleans?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 12.8 inches of snow.
Does Orleans get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orleans 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)