The Town FilesGriffith, Indiana
Town in Lake County · population 16,528 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,100
- Household income
- $76,636
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 37.5
Griffith is a town of 16,528 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $210,100, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of Indiana towns, better for first-time buyers than 95% of Indiana towns, better transit than 94% of Indiana towns.
How Griffith 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 Griffith is worth $210,100, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $76,636, which is more affordable than 42% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,235 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Griffith | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,100 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,235 | $888 |
| Median household income | $76,636 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Griffith
| People | Griffith | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Griffith
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Griffith since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 12, 1965 about 2.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 78 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 191,633 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,200 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Griffith itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Griffith
3 public schools with 1,997 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffth Jr/Sr High School | 6-12 | 1,090 | 15.6 |
| Beiriger Elementary School | PK-5 | 455 | 13.0 |
| Elsie Wadsworth Elementary School | PK-2 | 452 | 12.2 |
Towns near Griffith
- Highland, IN2.2 mi · 23,984 people · home $233,300
- Schererville, IN3.1 mi · 29,646 people · home $314,900
- Munster, IN4.4 mi · 23,894 people · home $334,300
- Dyer, IN4.9 mi · 16,517 people · home $322,200
- Gary, IN5.9 mi · 69,093 people · home $94,700
- St. John, IN6.4 mi · 20,303 people · home $406,300
- Lynwood, IL6.6 mi · 9,116 people · home $218,000
- Merrillville, IN6.7 mi · 36,444 people · home $211,400
Griffith questions
Is Griffith, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Griffith scores better for retirees than 25% of Indiana towns and quieter than 18%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Griffith?
The median owner-occupied home in Griffith is valued at $210,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,636, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,235 a month.
What is the weather like in Griffith?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does Griffith get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Griffith since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 12, 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)