The Town FilesRoyal Center, Indiana
Town in Cass County · population 802 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,800
- Household income
- $51,818
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.0
Royal Center is a town of 802 people in Cass County, Indiana. The median home is worth $83,800, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Indiana towns, better transit than 86% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 86% of Indiana towns.
How Royal Center 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 Royal Center is worth $83,800, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $51,818, which is more affordable than 94% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $828 a month. 70.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Royal Center | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $828 | $888 |
| Median household income | $51,818 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.8% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Royal Center
| People | Royal Center | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 68.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Royal Center
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.5 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Royal Center since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 3.7 miles from the town center and killed 10. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 16 deaths and 222 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 6, 2003.
Severe weather in Cass County since 1996
Cass County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Cass County
Cass County had 14,589 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,462 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Royal Center itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Royal Center
2 public schools with 916 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Elementary School | PK-6 | 484 | 12.7 |
| Pioneer Jr-Sr High School | 6-12 | 432 | 13.9 |
Towns near Royal Center
- Logansport, IN11.1 mi · 18,366 people · home $92,200
- Kewanna, IN11.6 mi · 576 people · home $77,300
- Buffalo, IN12.5 mi · 619 people · home $125,000
- Winamac, IN14.1 mi · 2,318 people · home $147,600
- Monticello, IN16.2 mi · 5,508 people · home $149,600
- Camden, IN17.7 mi · 593 people · home $107,700
- Walton, IN19.3 mi · 962 people · home $98,600
- Monon, IN19.8 mi · 1,919 people · home $96,000
Royal Center questions
Is Royal Center, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Royal Center scores better for retirees than 77% of Indiana towns and quieter than 83%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Royal Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Royal Center is valued at $83,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,818, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $828 a month.
What is the weather like in Royal Center?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 22.5 inches of snow.
Does Royal Center get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Royal Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. 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)