The Town FilesBurns, Wisconsin
Town in La Crosse County · population 946 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $264,800
- Household income
- $99,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 47.9
Burns is a town of 946 people in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $264,800, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 85% of Wisconsin towns, better for cycling than 79% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 71% of Wisconsin towns.
How Burns 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 Burns is worth $264,800, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $99,375, which is more affordable than 79% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,269 a month. 91.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Burns | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $264,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,269 | $951 |
| Median household income | $99,375 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.5% | — |
Who lives in Burns
| People | Burns | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Burns
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 1965 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 6, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 28, 2023.
Severe weather in La Crosse County since 1996
La Crosse County has been included in 18 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 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
Jobs and pay in La Crosse County
La Crosse County had 69,521 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,448 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Burns itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Burns
- Rockland, WI4.6 mi · 765 people · home $223,000
- Sparta, WI5.1 mi · 3,253 people · home $275,000
- Bangor, WI5.4 mi · 1,437 people · home $218,000
- Farmington, WI7.0 mi · 2,140 people · home $242,700
- Hamilton, WI7.2 mi · 2,428 people · home $368,800
- Sparta, WI7.5 mi · 10,025 people · home $180,600
- Bangor, WI7.8 mi · 617 people · home $391,800
- West Salem, WI8.0 mi · 5,277 people · home $277,100
Burns questions
Is Burns, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Burns scores better for retirees than 34% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 36%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.9).
How much does a house cost in Burns?
The median owner-occupied home in Burns is valued at $264,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,375, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,269 a month.
What is the weather like in Burns?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 49.5 inches of snow.
Does Burns get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Burns since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 1965. 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)