The Town FilesCalamus, Wisconsin
Town in Dodge County · population 1,043 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $371,000
- Household income
- $107,841
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 48.5
Calamus is a town of 1,043 people in Dodge County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $371,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 85% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 77% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Calamus 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 Calamus is worth $371,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $107,841, which is more affordable than 37% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $844 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Calamus | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $371,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $844 | $951 |
| Median household income | $107,841 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 86.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.6% | — |
Who lives in Calamus
| People | Calamus | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Calamus
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 37.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Calamus since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 7, 1980 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 13, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 29, 1984.
Severe weather in Dodge County since 1996
Dodge County has been included in 13 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 |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Dodge County
Dodge County had 36,662 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,552 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Calamus itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Calamus
- Fall River, WI5.4 mi · 1,801 people · home $243,700
- Fountain Prairie, WI5.5 mi · 938 people · home $406,900
- Westford, WI5.8 mi · 1,313 people · home $288,200
- Elba, WI6.0 mi · 1,041 people · home $352,500
- Columbus, WI6.8 mi · 5,540 people · home $230,600
- Beaver Dam, WI7.0 mi · 4,062 people · home $261,400
- Beaver Dam, WI7.3 mi · 16,708 people · home $201,900
- Lowell, WI8.4 mi · 1,166 people · home $322,400
Calamus questions
Is Calamus, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Calamus scores better for retirees than 45% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 50%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Calamus?
The median owner-occupied home in Calamus is valued at $371,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,841, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $844 a month.
What is the weather like in Calamus?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.8 inches of precipitation a year and 43.3 inches of snow.
Does Calamus get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Calamus since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 7, 1980. 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)