The Town FilesTell City, Indiana
City in Perry County · population 7,506 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,000
- Household income
- $52,949
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 39.6
Tell City is a city of 7,506 people in Perry County, Indiana. The median home is worth $139,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). It ranks more vibrant than 88% of Indiana towns, hipper than 88% of Indiana towns, more walkable than 81% of Indiana towns.
How Tell City 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 Tell City is worth $139,000, below the typical Indiana town ($150,400). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $52,949, which is more affordable than 47% of Indiana towns. Median rent is $657 a month. 65.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tell City | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,000 | $150,400 |
| Median rent | $657 | $888 |
| Median household income | $52,949 | $61,953 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 65.3% | 73.4% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1966 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tell City
| People | Tell City | Typical Indiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 38.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 17.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 17.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.4% | 11.6% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 6.2% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 24.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Tell City
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.8°F. About 51.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.7 inches of snow (typical Indiana town: 21.1 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 78 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tell City since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Indiana town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 23 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 19, 1989.
Severe weather in Perry County since 1996
Perry County has been included in 23 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 |
| July 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4882: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Perry County
Perry County had 6,441 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,166 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Tell City itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Tell City
2 public schools with 1,360 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Tell Elementary School | PK-6 | 744 | 14.6 |
| Tell City Jr-Sr High School | 7-12 | 616 | 14.0 |
Towns near Tell City
- Santa Claus, IN14.5 mi · 2,586 people · home $258,900
- Owensboro, KY23.8 mi · 60,183 people · home $178,900
- Huntingburg, IN26.4 mi · 6,362 people · home $143,800
- Boonville, IN29.7 mi · 6,712 people · home $162,400
Tell City questions
Is Tell City, Indiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tell City scores better for retirees than 51% of Indiana towns and quieter than 22%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Tell City?
The median owner-occupied home in Tell City is valued at $139,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,949, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $657 a month.
What is the weather like in Tell City?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 25.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.3 inches of precipitation a year and 10.7 inches of snow.
Does Tell City get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tell City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 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)