The Town FilesSyracuse, Indiana
Town in Kosciusko County · population 3,079 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $199,400
- Household income
- $71,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 42.0
Syracuse is a town of 3,079 people in Kosciusko County, Indiana. The median home is worth $199,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Indiana towns, better for retirees than 97% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Indiana towns.
How Syracuse 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 Syracuse is worth $199,400, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $71,833, which is more affordable than 34% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,115 a month. 72.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Syracuse | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,400 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,115 | $888 |
| Median household income | $71,833 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 72.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.8% | — |
Who lives in Syracuse
| People | Syracuse | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 13.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Syracuse
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 39.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Syracuse since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 3.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 90 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 24, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 2, 1980.
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 Syracuse itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Syracuse
3 public schools with 2,027 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wawasee High School | 9-12 | 901 | 13.7 |
| Wawasee Middle School | 6-8 | 626 | 16.9 |
| Syracuse Elementary School | K-5 | 500 | 15.2 |
Towns near Syracuse
- Ligonier, IN8.4 mi · 4,568 people · home $110,000
- Goshen, IN11.3 mi · 34,517 people · home $184,900
- Nappanee, IN12.9 mi · 6,949 people · home $238,600
- Warsaw, IN13.2 mi · 15,804 people · home $181,200
- Winona Lake, IN14.5 mi · 5,053 people · home $274,500
- Dunlap, IN17.2 mi · 6,442 people · home $222,200
- Middlebury, IN17.3 mi · 3,466 people · home $243,700
- Bremen, IN20.8 mi · 4,696 people · home $211,700
Syracuse questions
Is Syracuse, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Syracuse scores better for retirees than 97% of Indiana towns and quieter than 79%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Syracuse?
The median owner-occupied home in Syracuse is valued at $199,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,833, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,115 a month.
What is the weather like in Syracuse?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.8 inches of precipitation a year and 47.3 inches of snow.
Does Syracuse get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Syracuse 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)