The Town FilesRensselaer, Indiana
City in Jasper County · population 5,733 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,800
- Household income
- $60,331
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 30.8
Rensselaer is a city of 5,733 people in Jasper County, Indiana. The median home is worth $153,800, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 85% of Indiana towns, better transit than 74% of Indiana towns.
How Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer is worth $153,800, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $60,331, which is more affordable than 52% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 63.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rensselaer | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $936 | $888 |
| Median household income | $60,331 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 63.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Rensselaer
| People | Rensselaer | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Rensselaer
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 16.1°F. About 40.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rensselaer since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 17, 1963 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 27, 2018.
Severe weather in Jasper County since 1996
Jasper 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 |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | DR-4363: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jasper County
Jasper County had 11,682 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,292 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Rensselaer itself the ACS puts it at 5.8%.
Public schools in Rensselaer
4 public schools with 1,482 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer Central High School | 9-12 | 453 | 12.6 |
| Rensselaer Central Primary School | PK-2 | 387 | 15.5 |
| Rensselaer Central Middle School | 6-8 | 332 | 13.8 |
| Van Rensselaer Elementary School | 3-5 | 310 | 15.5 |
Towns near Rensselaer
- Roselawn, IN15.7 mi · 4,132 people · home $201,900
- Monticello, IN24.7 mi · 5,508 people · home $149,600
- Hebron, IN26.0 mi · 3,755 people · home $202,800
- Lowell, IN27.3 mi · 10,680 people · home $248,000
Rensselaer questions
Is Rensselaer, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rensselaer scores better for retirees than 35% of Indiana towns and quieter than 47%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.8).
How much does a house cost in Rensselaer?
The median owner-occupied home in Rensselaer is valued at $153,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,331, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Rensselaer?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 16.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.1 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.
Does Rensselaer get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rensselaer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 17, 1963. 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)