The Town FilesArena, Wisconsin
Town in Iowa County · population 1,486 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $320,900
- Household income
- $97,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 48.5
Arena is a town of 1,486 people in Iowa County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $320,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 94% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 91% of Wisconsin towns.
How Arena ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Arena is worth $320,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $97,375, which is more affordable than 43% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,177 a month. 83.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arena | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $320,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,177 | $951 |
| Median household income | $97,375 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 83.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Arena
| People | Arena | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 17.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Arena
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 7.1°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arena since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 6.7 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 201 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Iowa County since 1996
Iowa County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| August 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4141: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Iowa County
Iowa County had 10,688 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,369 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Arena itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Arena
- Arena, WI1.7 mi · 844 people · home $194,400
- Black Earth, WI6.3 mi · 510 people · home $477,800
- Troy, WI7.0 mi · 781 people · home $435,800
- Mazomanie, WI7.0 mi · 1,768 people · home $289,400
- Spring Green, WI7.4 mi · 1,566 people · home $248,800
- Vermont, WI8.6 mi · 871 people · home $586,500
- Mazomanie, WI9.0 mi · 1,074 people · home $409,700
- Black Earth, WI9.2 mi · 1,493 people · home $290,800
Arena questions
Is Arena, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arena scores better for retirees than 94% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 91%. 25.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Arena?
The median owner-occupied home in Arena is valued at $320,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,375, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,177 a month.
What is the weather like in Arena?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 7.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30.0 inches of snow.
Does Arena get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- 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)