The Town FilesSilver Lake, Indiana
Town in Kosciusko County · population 875 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $112,000
- Household income
- $55,272
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 42.1
Silver Lake is a town of 875 people in Kosciusko County, Indiana. The median home is worth $112,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks quieter than 99% of Indiana towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of Indiana towns, easier by car than 77% of Indiana towns.
How Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake is worth $112,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $55,272, which is more affordable than 78% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,158 a month. 79.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Silver Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,000 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,158 | $888 |
| Median household income | $55,272 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 79.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.3% | — |
Who lives in Silver Lake
| People | Silver Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.3% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.3% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Silver Lake
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 41.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.9 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver Lake since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 27, 2019 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 15, 2026.
Severe weather in Kosciusko County since 1996
Kosciusko County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Kosciusko County
Kosciusko County had 36,183 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,899 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Silver Lake itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Silver Lake
- Laketon, IN7.0 mi · 606 people · home $162,500
- Akron, IN7.3 mi · 1,125 people · home $136,300
- North Manchester, IN7.8 mi · 5,277 people · home $138,200
- Mentone, IN10.2 mi · 943 people · home $112,000
- Winona Lake, IN10.7 mi · 5,053 people · home $274,500
- Warsaw, IN12.1 mi · 15,804 people · home $181,200
- Pierceton, IN13.1 mi · 928 people · home $117,600
- South Whitley, IN14.0 mi · 1,818 people · home $134,100
Silver Lake questions
Is Silver Lake, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Silver Lake scores better for retirees than 20% of Indiana towns and quieter than 99%. 23.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Silver Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Silver Lake is valued at $112,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,272, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,158 a month.
What is the weather like in Silver Lake?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.1 inches of precipitation a year and 31.9 inches of snow.
Does Silver Lake get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Silver Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 27, 2019. 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)