The Town FilesCold Spring, Wisconsin
Town in Jefferson County · population 737 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $359,400
- Household income
- $125,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 35.5
Cold Spring is a town of 737 people in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $359,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 96% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 80% of Wisconsin towns.
How Cold Spring 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 Cold Spring is worth $359,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $125,000, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,632 a month. 91.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cold Spring | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $359,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,632 | $951 |
| Median household income | $125,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Cold Spring
| People | Cold Spring | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Cold Spring
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.5°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Spring since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 27, 1991 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on July 2, 2000.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 14 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 |
| 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 Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 33,615 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,167 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Cold Spring itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Towns near Cold Spring
- Whitewater, WI2.9 mi · 14,889 people · home $229,400
- Hebron, WI4.1 mi · 1,043 people · home $314,100
- Palmyra, WI6.0 mi · 1,220 people · home $349,100
- Koshkonong, WI6.1 mi · 3,763 people · home $391,700
- Palmyra, WI6.2 mi · 1,719 people · home $213,100
- Whitewater, WI7.1 mi · 1,433 people · home $360,200
- Fort Atkinson, WI7.1 mi · 12,579 people · home $211,800
- Jefferson, WI7.3 mi · 2,067 people · home $405,600
Cold Spring questions
Is Cold Spring, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cold Spring scores better for retirees than 56% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 8%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Cold Spring?
The median owner-occupied home in Cold Spring is valued at $359,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,000, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,632 a month.
What is the weather like in Cold Spring?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 33.9 inches of snow.
Does Cold Spring get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cold Spring since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 27, 1991. 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)