The Town FilesSt. John, Indiana
Town in Lake County · population 20,303 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $406,300
- Household income
- $131,467
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 44
- Median age
- 42.3
St. John is a town of 20,303 people in Lake County, Indiana. The median home is worth $406,300, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks better for families than 95% of Indiana towns, more of a college town than 95% of Indiana towns, more upscale than 95% of Indiana towns.
How St. John 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 St. John is worth $406,300, above the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $131,467, which is more affordable than 19% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $989 a month. 97.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. John | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $406,300 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $989 | $888 |
| Median household income | $131,467 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 97.4% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. John
| People | St. John | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.7% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.1% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 89.2% |
Weather in St. John
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
44 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. John 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 7.5 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 76 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 28, 2012.
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 St. John itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in St. John
3 public schools with 4,719 students, about 19.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Central High School | 9-12 | 2,992 | 20.4 |
| Hal E Clark Middle School | 5-8 | 1,097 | 18.0 |
| Kolling Elementary School | PK-4 | 630 | 17.0 |
Towns near St. John
- Schererville, IN3.3 mi · 29,646 people · home $314,900
- Dyer, IN4.4 mi · 16,517 people · home $322,200
- Cedar Lake, IN5.0 mi · 14,106 people · home $282,000
- Sauk Village, IL6.3 mi · 9,921 people · home $110,800
- Griffith, IN6.4 mi · 16,528 people · home $210,100
- Crown Point, IN6.7 mi · 33,899 people · home $294,800
- Lynwood, IL7.0 mi · 9,116 people · home $218,000
- Highland, IN7.3 mi · 23,984 people · home $233,300
St. John questions
Is St. John, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. John scores better for retirees than 60% of Indiana towns and quieter than 30%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in St. John?
The median owner-occupied home in St. John is valued at $406,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $131,467, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $989 a month.
What is the weather like in St. John?
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 St. John get tornadoes?
44 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. John 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)