The Town FilesShoals, Indiana
Town in Martin County · population 677 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $151,500
- Household income
- $38,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 43.4
Shoals is a town of 677 people in Martin County, Indiana. The median home is worth $151,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Shoals 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 Shoals is worth $151,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $38,333, which is more affordable than 3% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $383 a month. 61.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shoals | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $151,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $383 | $888 |
| Median household income | $38,333 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.1% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shoals
| People | Shoals | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.2% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Shoals
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 23.1°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shoals since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 9.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Martin County since 1996
Martin County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1997: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
Jobs and pay in Martin County
Martin County had 8,189 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,342 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Shoals itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Shoals
3 public schools with 654 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoals Community Elementary School | PK-5 | 316 | 22.6 |
| Shoals Community High School | 9-12 | 210 | 14.0 |
| Shoals Middle School | 6-8 | 128 | 12.8 |
Towns near Shoals
- Loogootee, IN6.5 mi · 2,601 people · home $148,500
- West Baden Springs, IN11.9 mi · 541 people · home $163,800
- French Lick, IN12.6 mi · 1,722 people · home $85,100
- Montgomery, IN13.8 mi · 792 people · home $227,800
- Odon, IN16.1 mi · 1,397 people · home $141,000
- Mitchell, IN17.9 mi · 3,933 people · home $114,500
- Orleans, IN18.5 mi · 2,108 people · home $117,500
- Paoli, IN19.0 mi · 3,666 people · home $150,700
Shoals questions
Is Shoals, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shoals scores better for retirees than 69% of Indiana towns and quieter than 81%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.4).
How much does a house cost in Shoals?
The median owner-occupied home in Shoals is valued at $151,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $38,333, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $383 a month.
What is the weather like in Shoals?
July highs average 87.9°F and January lows 23.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 13.6 inches of snow.
Does Shoals get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shoals 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)