The Town FilesWinona Lake, Indiana
Town in Kosciusko County · population 5,053 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $274,500
- Household income
- $82,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 28.9
Winona Lake is a town of 5,053 people in Kosciusko County, Indiana. The median home is worth $274,500, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Indiana towns, hipper than 99% of Indiana towns, more of a college town than 98% of Indiana towns.
How Winona 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 Winona Lake is worth $274,500, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $82,188, which is more affordable than 12% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,132 a month. 61.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winona Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $274,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,132 | $888 |
| Median household income | $82,188 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.6% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.4% | — |
Who lives in Winona Lake
| People | Winona Lake | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.9 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 13.6 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Winona Lake
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 40.5 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 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winona Lake since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 54 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 10, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 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 Winona Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Winona Lake
1 public school with 461 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Elementary School | PK-6 | 461 | 15.4 |
Towns near Winona Lake
- Warsaw, IN2.7 mi · 15,804 people · home $181,200
- Syracuse, IN14.5 mi · 3,079 people · home $199,400
- North Manchester, IN14.8 mi · 5,277 people · home $138,200
- Columbia City, IN17.8 mi · 9,892 people · home $189,100
- Nappanee, IN18.5 mi · 6,949 people · home $238,600
- Ligonier, IN20.3 mi · 4,568 people · home $110,000
- Rochester, IN22.8 mi · 6,270 people · home $137,400
- Bremen, IN23.7 mi · 4,696 people · home $211,700
Winona Lake questions
Is Winona Lake, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winona Lake scores better for retirees than 84% of Indiana towns and quieter than 3%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.9).
How much does a house cost in Winona Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Winona Lake is valued at $274,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,188, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,132 a month.
What is the weather like in Winona Lake?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.5 inches of precipitation a year and 31.9 inches of snow.
Does Winona Lake get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winona Lake 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)