The Town FilesThorntown, Indiana
Town in Boone County · population 1,432 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $193,800
- Household income
- $73,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 35.0
Thorntown is a town of 1,432 people in Boone County, Indiana. The median home is worth $193,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more upscale than 83% of Indiana towns, better for young professionals than 82% of Indiana towns, better transit than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Thorntown 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 Thorntown is worth $193,800, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $73,750, which is more affordable than 47% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $928 a month. 66.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thorntown | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,800 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $928 | $888 |
| Median household income | $73,750 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 66.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Thorntown
| People | Thorntown | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 30.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Thorntown
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 43.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thorntown since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 7.2 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 23 deaths and 118 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 25, 2023.
Severe weather in Boone County since 1996
Boone 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 |
| April 22, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4173: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Boone County
Boone County had 45,424 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,895 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Thorntown itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Thorntown
2 public schools with 1,219 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Boone Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 774 | 15.8 |
| Thorntown Elementary School | PK-6 | 445 | 18.5 |
Towns near Thorntown
- Colfax, IN5.4 mi · 702 people · home $130,100
- Darlington, IN8.8 mi · 711 people · home $120,500
- Advance, IN9.2 mi · 503 people · home $164,500
- Clarks Hill, IN10.1 mi · 600 people · home $93,600
- Lebanon, IN10.2 mi · 16,662 people · home $195,600
- Frankfort, IN11.1 mi · 16,715 people · home $138,600
- Jamestown, IN13.4 mi · 942 people · home $176,300
- Kirklin, IN14.1 mi · 710 people · home $102,500
Thorntown questions
Is Thorntown, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thorntown scores better for retirees than 49% of Indiana towns and quieter than 75%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.0).
How much does a house cost in Thorntown?
The median owner-occupied home in Thorntown is valued at $193,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,750, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $928 a month.
What is the weather like in Thorntown?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.3 inches of precipitation a year and 18.1 inches of snow.
Does Thorntown get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thorntown since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. 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)