The Town FilesBluffton, Indiana
City in Wells County · population 10,308 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,600
- Household income
- $57,539
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 38.9
Bluffton is a city of 10,308 people in Wells County, Indiana. The median home is worth $149,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of Indiana towns, better transit than 86% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Bluffton 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 Bluffton is worth $149,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $57,539, which is more affordable than 47% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $732 a month. 62.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bluffton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $732 | $888 |
| Median household income | $57,539 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.0% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bluffton
| People | Bluffton | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Bluffton
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 17.2°F. About 40.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.3 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluffton since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 9.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 40 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 30, 1990.
Severe weather in Wells County since 1996
Wells County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| March 12, 2007 | Snowstorm | EM-3274: Snow |
| September 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3238: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wells County
Wells County had 11,293 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,048 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Bluffton itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Bluffton
4 public schools with 2,324 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluffton-Harrison Elementary Sch | PK-4 | 750 | 14.2 |
| Lancaster Central School | PK-5 | 542 | 15.5 |
| Bluffton-Harrison Middle School | 5-8 | 525 | 13.8 |
| Bluffton High School | 9-12 | 507 | 13.3 |
Towns near Bluffton
- Ossian, IN9.2 mi · 3,266 people · home $201,500
- Berne, IN12.8 mi · 4,173 people · home $151,700
- Decatur, IN14.1 mi · 9,913 people · home $142,800
- Huntington, IN19.8 mi · 17,022 people · home $119,500
- Hartford City, IN22.6 mi · 6,086 people · home $83,400
- Portland, IN23.3 mi · 6,320 people · home $96,700
- New Haven, IN23.8 mi · 15,583 people · home $166,900
- Fort Wayne, IN23.9 mi · 263,886 people · home $188,900
Bluffton questions
Is Bluffton, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bluffton scores better for retirees than 44% of Indiana towns and quieter than 30%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Bluffton?
The median owner-occupied home in Bluffton is valued at $149,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,539, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $732 a month.
What is the weather like in Bluffton?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 17.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.0 inches of precipitation a year and 23.3 inches of snow.
Does Bluffton get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluffton 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)