The Town Files

South Mount Vernon, Ohio

Community in Knox County · population 714 (2020 Census)

Map: where South Mount Vernon is in OhioSouth Mount Vernon
Household income
$59,018
Jan low / Jul high
17° / 83°
Snow a year
31 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
10
Median age
27.3

South Mount Vernon is a community of 714 people in Knox County, Ohio. It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Ohio towns, better transit than 92% of Ohio towns.

How South Mount Vernon ranks

Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.

South Mount Vernon lifestyle rankings vs other Ohio townsRetirement43rd pctFamilies36th pctQuiet33rd pctWalkability63rd pctFirst-time buyers66th pctYoung professionals57th pctVibrancy59th pctHip & trendy62nd pctCollege town92nd pctUpscale27th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit92nd pctDriving20th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

Median rent is $1,109 a month. 31.0% of households own their home.

South Mount Vernon vs Knox County vs typical Ohio townSouth Mount VernonKnox CountyTypical Ohio townHousehold income$59,018$73,878$67,019Monthly rent$1,109$950$914
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Ohio towns with 500+ people.
HousingSouth Mount VernonTypical Ohio town
Median home value—$171,100
Median rent$1,109$914
Median household income$59,018$67,019
Home value ÷ income—×2.6×
Homeownership31.0%71.7%
Median year built19381965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in South Mount Vernon

PeopleSouth Mount VernonTypical Ohio town
Median age27.340.6
Age 65 and over7.1%19.1%
Under 1823.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher14.0%21.3%
Below the poverty line33.1%10.3%
Veterans8.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home0.0%8.6%
Average commute35.7 min23.3 min
Homes with broadband85.5%90.9%

Weather in South Mount Vernon

July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 16.9°F. About 44.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.9 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.

South Mount Vernon monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°17°Jan37°19°Feb48°27°Mar62°38°Apr72°49°May80°58°Jun83°61°Jul82°59°Aug75°52°Sep64°41°Oct50°31°Nov39°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.110.52.57.83.44.64.50.64.55.04.23.93.63.03.31.43.25.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Centerburg 2 Se station (10.2 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Mount Vernon since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 20, 2000 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 26, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of South Mount Vernon by decade01950s01960s11970s31980s01990s22000s02010s42020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 9, 2012.

Severe weather in Knox County since 1996

Storm events in Knox County since 1996 by typeHail70Flood11Drought5Tornado6High Wind33Heavy Snow6Flash Flood20Strong Wind4
NOAA Storm Events Database, Knox County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Knox County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 31, 2020BiologicalDR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3457: Covid-19
August 20, 2012Severe StormDR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds
June 30, 2012Severe StormEM-3346: Severe Storms
October 24, 2008Severe StormDR-1805: Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

Jobs and pay in Knox County

Knox County had 20,571 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,637 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in South Mount Vernon itself the ACS puts it at 13.9%.

Largest industries in Knox CountyManufacturing4,336 jobs · $81,400Health care & social assistan…3,143 jobs · $54,268Retail2,371 jobs · $30,814Hotels & restaurants1,812 jobs · $20,817Education1,280 jobs · $58,704Construction1,166 jobs · $81,045
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Knox County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Knox 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near South Mount Vernon

South Mount Vernon questions

Is South Mount Vernon, Ohio a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Mount Vernon scores better for retirees than 43% of Ohio towns and quieter than 33%. 7.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.3).

What is the weather like in South Mount Vernon?

July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 16.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.2 inches of precipitation a year and 30.9 inches of snow.

Does South Mount Vernon get tornadoes?

10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Mount Vernon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 20, 2000. The typical Ohio town has had 16.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to South Mount Vernon's Census boundary (GEOID 3973530). Comparisons use the median of Ohio towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.