The Town FilesPortland, Indiana
City in Jay County · population 6,320 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $96,700
- Household income
- $51,513
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 37.4
Portland is a city of 6,320 people in Jay County, Indiana. The median home is worth $96,700, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more walkable than 84% of Indiana towns, more vibrant than 75% of Indiana towns, hipper than 71% of Indiana towns.
How Portland 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 Portland is worth $96,700, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $51,513, which is more affordable than 83% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 67.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portland | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,700 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $763 | $888 |
| Median household income | $51,513 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 67.9% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Portland
| People | Portland | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 89.2% |
Weather in Portland
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 39.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.4 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portland 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 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 19, 1967.
Severe weather in Jay County since 1996
Jay County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Jay County
Jay County had 7,027 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,103 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Portland itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Portland
3 public schools with 2,209 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay County Jr/Sr High School | 7-12 | 1,278 | 15.8 |
| East Jay Elementary | 3-6 | 532 | 14.8 |
| East Elementary School | K-2 | 399 | 13.3 |
Towns near Portland
- Berne, IN15.2 mi · 4,173 people · home $151,700
- Winchester, IN18.4 mi · 4,843 people · home $97,600
- St. Henry, OH18.5 mi · 2,596 people · home $287,000
- Union City, IN18.6 mi · 3,454 people · home $79,300
- Coldwater, OH18.7 mi · 4,774 people · home $232,200
- Hartford City, IN20.5 mi · 6,086 people · home $83,400
- Bluffton, IN23.3 mi · 10,308 people · home $149,600
- Celina, OH23.6 mi · 10,935 people · home $164,100
Portland questions
Is Portland, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portland scores better for retirees than 40% of Indiana towns and quieter than 30%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Portland?
The median owner-occupied home in Portland is valued at $96,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,513, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Portland?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.9 inches of precipitation a year and 19.4 inches of snow.
Does Portland get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portland 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)