The Town FilesWinchester, Indiana
City in Randolph County · population 4,843 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,600
- Household income
- $52,439
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 35.4
Winchester is a city of 4,843 people in Randolph County, Indiana. The median home is worth $97,600, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 80% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 76% of Indiana towns, hipper than 70% of Indiana towns.
How Winchester 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 Winchester is worth $97,600, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $52,439, which is more affordable than 83% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $756 a month. 70.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winchester | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $756 | $888 |
| Median household income | $52,439 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 70.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Winchester
| People | Winchester | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 15.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Winchester
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 40.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.1 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winchester since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 55 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 11, 2005.
Severe weather in Randolph County since 1996
Randolph County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Randolph County
Randolph County had 7,093 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,830 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Winchester itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Winchester
4 public schools with 1,274 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester Community High School | 9-12 | 408 | 12.0 |
| O R Baker Elementary School | PK-2 | 329 | 15.7 |
| Lee L Driver Middle School | 6-8 | 304 | 12.7 |
| Willard Elementary School | 3-5 | 233 | 13.7 |
Towns near Winchester
- Union City, IN8.5 mi · 3,454 people · home $79,300
- Portland, IN18.4 mi · 6,320 people · home $96,700
- Greenville, OH19.4 mi · 12,786 people · home $157,800
- Muncie, IN22.1 mi · 65,194 people · home $97,300
- Richmond, IN23.9 mi · 35,720 people · home $114,400
- Centerville, IN24.2 mi · 2,748 people · home $149,200
- St. Henry, OH25.0 mi · 2,596 people · home $287,000
- Versailles, OH26.3 mi · 2,692 people · home $208,200
Winchester questions
Is Winchester, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winchester scores better for retirees than 26% of Indiana towns and quieter than 38%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.4).
How much does a house cost in Winchester?
The median owner-occupied home in Winchester is valued at $97,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,439, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $756 a month.
What is the weather like in Winchester?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.1 inches of precipitation a year and 25.1 inches of snow.
Does Winchester get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winchester 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)