The Town FilesMonticello, Indiana
City in White County · population 5,508 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $149,600
- Household income
- $52,798
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 44.5
Monticello is a city of 5,508 people in White County, Indiana. The median home is worth $149,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Indiana towns, more of a college town than 97% of Indiana towns, better for retirees than 94% of Indiana towns.
How Monticello 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 Monticello is worth $149,600, close to the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $52,798, which is more affordable than 34% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $927 a month. 64.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monticello | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,600 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $927 | $888 |
| Median household income | $52,798 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 64.7% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Monticello
| People | Monticello | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Monticello
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 39.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.9 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 0.1 miles from the town center and killed 10. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 75 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in White County since 1996
White 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 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4704: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in White County
White County had 8,815 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,614 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Monticello itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Monticello
4 public schools with 2,036 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Lakes Senior High School | 9-12 | 663 | 12.8 |
| Meadowlawn Elementary School | K-5 | 550 | 17.7 |
| Roosevelt Middle School | 6-8 | 510 | 13.4 |
| Oaklawn Elementary School | K-4 | 313 | 14.9 |
Towns near Monticello
- Delphi, IN12.4 mi · 2,961 people · home $141,300
- Logansport, IN21.6 mi · 18,366 people · home $92,200
- West Lafayette, IN22.4 mi · 44,595 people · home $350,000
- Lafayette, IN24.4 mi · 70,783 people · home $172,800
- Rensselaer, IN24.7 mi · 5,733 people · home $153,800
Monticello questions
Is Monticello, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monticello scores better for retirees than 94% of Indiana towns and quieter than 20%. 24.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.5).
How much does a house cost in Monticello?
The median owner-occupied home in Monticello is valued at $149,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,798, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $927 a month.
What is the weather like in Monticello?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.0 inches of precipitation a year and 19.9 inches of snow.
Does Monticello get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello 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)