The Town FilesBern, Wisconsin
Town in Marathon County · population 614 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $237,500
- Household income
- $78,929
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 31.8
Bern is a town of 614 people in Marathon County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $237,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 70% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bern 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 Bern is worth $237,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $78,929, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,031 a month. 89.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bern | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $237,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,031 | $951 |
| Median household income | $78,929 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 89.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.5% | — |
Who lives in Bern
| People | Bern | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 40.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bern
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 2.3°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bern since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 28, 1971 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Marathon County since 1996
Marathon County has been included in 12 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 21, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Marathon County
Marathon County had 70,626 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,976 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Bern itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Bern
- Halsey, WI4.8 mi · 634 people · home $293,800
- Athens, WI5.0 mi · 1,059 people · home $189,700
- Browning, WI6.0 mi · 910 people · home $245,200
- Deer Creek, WI6.3 mi · 677 people · home $184,700
- Johnson, WI7.8 mi · 873 people · home $186,700
- Rietbrock, WI9.2 mi · 874 people · home $278,800
- Holton, WI9.5 mi · 859 people · home $217,600
- Stetsonville, WI9.5 mi · 563 people · home $182,500
Bern questions
Is Bern, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bern scores better for retirees than 6% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 57%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.8).
How much does a house cost in Bern?
The median owner-occupied home in Bern is valued at $237,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,929, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,031 a month.
What is the weather like in Bern?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 2.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.2 inches of precipitation a year and 50.9 inches of snow.
Does Bern get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bern since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 28, 1971. 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)