The Town FilesMishawaka, Indiana
City in St. Joseph County · population 51,063 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,500
- Household income
- $54,291
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 36.0
Mishawaka is a city of 51,063 people in St. Joseph County, Indiana. The median home is worth $155,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Indiana towns, hipper than 95% of Indiana towns, better transit than 95% of Indiana towns.
How Mishawaka 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 Mishawaka is worth $155,500, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $54,291, which is more affordable than 29% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,070 a month. 49.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mishawaka | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,070 | $888 |
| Median household income | $54,291 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.3% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Mishawaka
| People | Mishawaka | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.4% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Mishawaka
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 17.1°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mishawaka since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 5.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 36 deaths and 360 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 104 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 17, 1963.
Severe weather in St. Joseph County since 1996
St. Joseph County has been included in 17 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 St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County had 121,043 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,303 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Mishawaka itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Mishawaka
18 public schools with 12,866 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn High School | 9-12 | 3,847 | 21.3 |
| Mishawaka High School | 9-12 | 1,437 | 14.8 |
| Schmucker Middle School | 6-8 | 995 | 18.4 |
| John J Young Middle School | 7-8 | 738 | 13.9 |
| Virgil I Grissom Middle School | 6-8 | 648 | 15.8 |
| Walt Disney Elementary School | K-5 | 521 | 16.8 |
| Bittersweet Elementary School | PK-5 | 515 | 22.4 |
| Elm Road Elementary School | PK-5 | 515 | 16.6 |
| Beiger Elementary School | PK-6 | 498 | 17.8 |
| Lasalle Elementary School | PK-6 | 494 | 15.9 |
| Emmons Elementary School | K-6 | 469 | 15.6 |
| Liberty Elementary School | K-6 | 422 | 16.2 |
Towns near Mishawaka
- Notre Dame, IN4.1 mi · 7,234 people · home —
- Granger, IN4.5 mi · 30,337 people · home $331,100
- Osceola, IN4.5 mi · 2,590 people · home $196,900
- South Bend, IN5.3 mi · 103,453 people · home $140,400
- Milton, MI7.8 mi · 3,128 people · home $299,600
- Ontwa, MI9.9 mi · 6,904 people · home $249,800
- Elkhart, IN10.5 mi · 53,923 people · home $139,500
- Simonton Lake, IN11.4 mi · 4,710 people · home $266,800
Mishawaka questions
Is Mishawaka, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mishawaka scores better for retirees than 16% of Indiana towns and quieter than 6%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Mishawaka?
The median owner-occupied home in Mishawaka is valued at $155,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,291, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,070 a month.
What is the weather like in Mishawaka?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 17.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Mishawaka get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mishawaka 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)