The Town FilesPetersburg, Indiana
City in Pike County · population 2,304 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $122,000
- Household income
- $54,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 42.4
Petersburg is a city of 2,304 people in Pike County, Indiana. The median home is worth $122,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks hipper than 92% of Indiana towns, better for retirees than 86% of Indiana towns, quieter than 84% of Indiana towns.
How Petersburg 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 Petersburg is worth $122,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $54,188, which is more affordable than 64% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $797 a month. 72.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Petersburg | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,000 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $797 | $888 |
| Median household income | $54,188 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 72.8% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Petersburg
| People | Petersburg | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Petersburg
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.9°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.7 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 18 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 8.0 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 70 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 1, 2002.
Severe weather in Pike County since 1996
Pike County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Pike County
Pike County had 2,609 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,232 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Petersburg itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Petersburg
3 public schools with 1,331 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg Elementary School | PK-5 | 482 | 12.7 |
| Pike Central High School | 9-12 | 474 | 11.9 |
| Pike Central Middle School | 6-8 | 375 | 14.4 |
Towns near Petersburg
- Winslow, IN8.4 mi · 764 people · home $90,900
- Monroe City, IN9.3 mi · 502 people · home $144,800
- Oakland City, IN11.2 mi · 2,279 people · home $109,500
- Washington, IN13.2 mi · 12,017 people · home $152,200
- Francisco, IN14.2 mi · 545 people · home $98,300
- Montgomery, IN17.3 mi · 792 people · home $227,800
- Vincennes, IN17.7 mi · 16,759 people · home $111,600
- Patoka, IN18.1 mi · 706 people · home $99,000
Petersburg questions
Is Petersburg, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Petersburg scores better for retirees than 86% of Indiana towns and quieter than 84%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.4).
How much does a house cost in Petersburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Petersburg is valued at $122,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,188, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $797 a month.
What is the weather like in Petersburg?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 9.7 inches of snow.
Does Petersburg get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Petersburg 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)