The Town FilesBalsam Lake, Wisconsin
Town in Polk County · population 1,416 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $309,300
- Household income
- $89,167
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 54.8
Balsam Lake is a town of 1,416 people in Polk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $309,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 80% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 72% of Wisconsin towns.
How Balsam Lake 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 Balsam Lake is worth $309,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $89,167, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,525 a month. 89.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Balsam Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,525 | $951 |
| Median household income | $89,167 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 89.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 38.2% | — |
Who lives in Balsam Lake
| People | Balsam Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Balsam Lake
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.7°F. About 30.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Balsam Lake since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 23, 1952 about 4.6 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 17 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 18, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 3, 1981.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 16,162 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,798 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Balsam Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Balsam Lake
- Balsam Lake, WI3.5 mi · 934 people · home $210,200
- Centuria, WI4.4 mi · 891 people · home $145,600
- Garfield, WI4.8 mi · 1,744 people · home $315,200
- St. Croix Falls, WI5.2 mi · 1,164 people · home $262,100
- Apple River, WI6.1 mi · 1,173 people · home $263,300
- Milltown, WI6.3 mi · 1,219 people · home $330,500
- St. Croix Falls, WI7.1 mi · 2,208 people · home $249,400
- Milltown, WI7.2 mi · 948 people · home $123,100
Balsam Lake questions
Is Balsam Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Balsam Lake scores better for retirees than 65% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 64%. 28.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.8).
How much does a house cost in Balsam Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Balsam Lake is valued at $309,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,167, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,525 a month.
What is the weather like in Balsam Lake?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.5 inches of precipitation a year and 42.6 inches of snow.
Does Balsam Lake get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Balsam Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 23, 1952. 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)