The Town FilesCato, Wisconsin
Town in Manitowoc County · population 1,621 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $272,100
- Household income
- $91,912
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 45.8
Cato is a town of 1,621 people in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $272,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 91% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 83% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 79% of Wisconsin towns.
How Cato 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 Cato is worth $272,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $91,912, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $685 a month. 95.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cato | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $272,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $685 | $951 |
| Median household income | $91,912 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cato
| People | Cato | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Cato
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cato since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 7, 1980 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 1, 2006.
Severe weather in Manitowoc County since 1996
Manitowoc County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County had 33,444 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,550 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Cato itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Towns near Cato
- Whitelaw, WI2.9 mi · 737 people · home $182,800
- Valders, WI3.5 mi · 952 people · home $170,500
- Reedsville, WI4.9 mi · 1,195 people · home $167,200
- Manitowoc Rapids, WI5.7 mi · 2,114 people · home $253,400
- Rockland, WI6.0 mi · 995 people · home $242,300
- Liberty, WI6.8 mi · 1,245 people · home $283,200
- St. Nazianz, WI8.1 mi · 714 people · home $139,200
- Maple Grove, WI8.1 mi · 773 people · home $243,600
Cato questions
Is Cato, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cato scores better for retirees than 22% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 62%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Cato?
The median owner-occupied home in Cato is valued at $272,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,912, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $685 a month.
What is the weather like in Cato?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 40.9 inches of snow.
Does Cato get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cato since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 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)