The Town FilesShirley, Indiana
Town in Hancock County · population 819 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $113,100
- Household income
- $67,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 35.3
Shirley is a town of 819 people in Hancock County, Indiana. The median home is worth $113,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 90% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 87% of Indiana towns, better for retirees than 86% of Indiana towns.
How Shirley 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 Shirley is worth $113,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $67,083, which is more affordable than 90% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $615 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shirley | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,100 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $615 | $888 |
| Median household income | $67,083 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shirley
| People | Shirley | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 30.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Shirley
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shirley since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 21 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 11, 1998 about 9.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 48 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 26, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 3, 1974.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 19 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 Hancock County
Hancock County had 29,049 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,651 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Shirley itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Towns near Shirley
- Knightstown, IN7.1 mi · 2,140 people · home $130,000
- Spiceland, IN8.8 mi · 958 people · home $118,300
- Carthage, IN10.6 mi · 918 people · home $89,800
- New Castle, IN11.3 mi · 17,396 people · home $98,000
- Middletown, IN11.8 mi · 2,253 people · home $96,200
- Greenfield, IN12.2 mi · 23,488 people · home $216,400
- Pendleton, IN12.6 mi · 4,717 people · home $248,200
- Ingalls, IN12.9 mi · 2,223 people · home $189,900
Shirley questions
Is Shirley, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shirley scores better for retirees than 86% of Indiana towns and quieter than 90%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Shirley?
The median owner-occupied home in Shirley is valued at $113,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,083, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $615 a month.
What is the weather like in Shirley?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 28.6 inches of snow.
Does Shirley get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shirley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 11, 1998. 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)