The Town FilesWest Terre Haute, Indiana
Town in Vigo County · population 2,157 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $74,100
- Household income
- $53,676
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.4
West Terre Haute is a town of 2,157 people in Vigo County, Indiana. The median home is worth $74,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better transit than 100% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 88% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 75% of Indiana towns.
How West Terre Haute 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 West Terre Haute is worth $74,100, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $53,676, which is more affordable than 98% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 71.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Terre Haute | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $74,100 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $819 | $888 |
| Median household income | $53,676 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 71.2% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Terre Haute
| People | West Terre Haute | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.0% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in West Terre Haute
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 44.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.2 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 116 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Terre Haute since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 22, 1960 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 27, 1971.
Severe weather in Vigo County since 1996
Vigo 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 |
| 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 |
| June 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Vigo County
Vigo County had 46,144 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,152 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in West Terre Haute itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in West Terre Haute
4 public schools with 1,665 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Vigo High School | 9-12 | 518 | 11.0 |
| Sugar Creek Consolidated Elem Sch | PK-5 | 477 | 16.4 |
| West Vigo Middle School | 6-8 | 392 | 12.6 |
| Fayette Elementary School | K-5 | 278 | 13.9 |
Towns near West Terre Haute
- St. Mary of the Woods, IN3.4 mi · 767 people · home —
- Terre Haute, IN4.0 mi · 58,389 people · home $115,700
- North Terre Haute, IN6.8 mi · 4,222 people · home $152,900
- Tecumseh, IN7.5 mi · 778 people · home $251,000
- Seelyville, IN10.0 mi · 1,012 people · home $151,900
- Marshall, IL13.6 mi · 3,947 people · home $118,500
- Clinton, IN13.8 mi · 4,831 people · home $101,600
- Rosedale, IN14.2 mi · 636 people · home $99,000
West Terre Haute questions
Is West Terre Haute, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Terre Haute scores better for retirees than 0% of Indiana towns and quieter than 30%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in West Terre Haute?
The median owner-occupied home in West Terre Haute is valued at $74,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,676, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in West Terre Haute?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.2 inches of snow.
Does West Terre Haute get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Terre Haute since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 22, 1960. 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)