The Town Files

Cambria, Wisconsin

Village in Columbia County · population 777 (2020 Census)

Map: where Cambria is in WisconsinCambria
Median home
$157,900
Household income
$69,323
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 84°
Snow a year
46 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
26
Median age
41.7

Cambria is a village of 777 people in Columbia County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $157,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 83% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Wisconsin towns.

How Cambria 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.

Cambria lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement32nd pctFamilies83rd pctQuiet43rd pctWalkability60th pctFirst-time buyers75th pctYoung professionals20th pctVibrancy57th pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town50th pctUpscale29th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling59th pctTransitbottomDriving68th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Cambria is worth $157,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $69,323, which is more affordable than 92% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $736 a month. 76.1% of households own their home.

Cambria vs Columbia County vs typical Wisconsin townCambriaColumbia CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$157,900$283,200$256,000Household income$69,323$85,351$82,217Monthly rent$736$978$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingCambriaTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$157,900$256,000
Median rent$736$951
Median household income$69,323$82,217
Home value ÷ income2.3×3.1×
Homeownership76.1%86.8%
Median year built19451978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.6%—

Who lives in Cambria

PeopleCambriaTypical Wisconsin town
Median age41.745.1
Age 65 and over15.6%21.0%
Under 1821.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher18.2%23.8%
Below the poverty line8.4%7.2%
Veterans6.1%—
Born outside the U.S.3.1%—
Work from home2.7%10.9%
Average commute23.2 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband87.8%89.1%

Weather in Cambria

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 8.8°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.

Cambria monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing28°9°Jan32°11°Feb45°22°Mar58°34°Apr70°46°May80°56°Jun84°60°Jul82°58°Aug75°49°Sep61°38°Oct46°26°Nov33°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.514.61.38.82.07.33.33.24.15.24.43.73.73.10.72.23.81.87.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Dalton station (9.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cambria since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 26, 1951 about 1.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 36 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 22, 2011.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Cambria by decade21950s01960s21970s101980s01990s102000s22010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 3, 2004.

Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996

Storm events in Columbia County since 1996 by typeHail118Heat34Flood47Drought18Tornado18Dense Fog53Flash Flood24Strong Wind30
NOAA Storm Events Database, Columbia County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 12 deaths recorded.

Columbia County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
June 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
August 26, 2007Severe StormDR-1719: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Columbia County

Columbia County had 21,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,667 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Cambria itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.

Largest industries in Columbia CountyManufacturing5,178 jobs · $69,473Retail2,613 jobs · $34,576Health care & social assistan…2,455 jobs · $52,813Hotels & restaurants2,002 jobs · $20,317Construction1,060 jobs · $69,469Administrative & support836 jobs · $47,595
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Columbia County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Columbia 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Cambria

2 public schools with 313 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Cambria Friesland Middle/High6-1216011.4
Cambria Friesland ElementaryPK-515311.8

Towns near Cambria

Cambria questions

Is Cambria, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cambria scores better for retirees than 32% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 43%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).

How much does a house cost in Cambria?

The median owner-occupied home in Cambria is valued at $157,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,323, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $736 a month.

What is the weather like in Cambria?

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 8.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 45.5 inches of snow.

Does Cambria get tornadoes?

26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cambria since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 26, 1951. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Cambria's Census boundary (GEOID 5512200). Comparisons use the median of Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.