The Town FilesNew Palestine, Indiana
Town in Hancock County · population 2,744 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $357,500
- Household income
- $96,923
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 40.4
New Palestine is a town of 2,744 people in Hancock County, Indiana. The median home is worth $357,500, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 93% of Indiana towns, better for families than 90% of Indiana towns.
How New Palestine 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 New Palestine is worth $357,500, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $96,923, which is more affordable than 6% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $1,129 a month. 80.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Palestine | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $357,500 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $1,129 | $888 |
| Median household income | $96,923 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 80.3% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in New Palestine
| People | New Palestine | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 35.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 89.2% |
Weather in New Palestine
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.2 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Palestine since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 21 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 11, 1998 about 4.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 183 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 86 times; the largest was 3.40 inches on June 18, 2021.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Hancock County
Hancock County had 29,049 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,651 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in New Palestine itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in New Palestine
5 public schools with 3,556 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Palestine High School | 9-12 | 1,217 | 16.7 |
| New Palestine Jr High School | 7-8 | 621 | 18.3 |
| New Palestine Intermediate School | 5-6 | 583 | 18.2 |
| Sugar Creek Elementary Sch | PK-4 | 577 | 17.0 |
| New Palestine Elementary School | PK-4 | 558 | 17.4 |
Towns near New Palestine
- Cumberland, IN4.8 mi · 5,954 people · home $239,200
- Greenfield, IN7.8 mi · 23,488 people · home $216,400
- Beech Grove, IN10.3 mi · 14,717 people · home $182,600
- Lawrence, IN10.7 mi · 49,370 people · home $230,100
- McCordsville, IN11.7 mi · 8,503 people · home $345,400
- Fortville, IN13.7 mi · 4,784 people · home $254,900
- Indianapolis, IN13.8 mi · 887,642 people · home $224,800
- Shelbyville, IN14.1 mi · 20,067 people · home $174,700
New Palestine questions
Is New Palestine, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Palestine scores better for retirees than 81% of Indiana towns and quieter than 61%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in New Palestine?
The median owner-occupied home in New Palestine is valued at $357,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,923, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,129 a month.
What is the weather like in New Palestine?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.2 inches of snow.
Does New Palestine get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Palestine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 11, 1998. 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)