The Town FilesColfax, Wisconsin
Village in Dunn County · population 1,182 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,500
- Household income
- $61,762
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 40.0
Colfax is a village of 1,182 people in Dunn County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $173,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 86% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 72% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Colfax 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 Colfax is worth $173,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $61,762, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $698 a month. 44.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colfax | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $698 | $951 |
| Median household income | $61,762 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 44.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Colfax
| People | Colfax | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 89.1% |
Weather in Colfax
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 31.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colfax since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 4, 1958 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 25, 2008.
Severe weather in Dunn County since 1996
Dunn 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| July 19, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1429: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dunn County
Dunn County had 18,047 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,935 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Colfax itself the ACS puts it at 9.4%.
Public schools in Colfax
2 public schools with 705 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax Elementary | PK-6 | 368 | 12.7 |
| Colfax High | 7-12 | 337 | 14.7 |
Towns near Colfax
- Colfax, WI1.0 mi · 1,230 people · home $275,500
- Tainter, WI5.8 mi · 2,643 people · home $297,500
- Tainter Lake, WI6.1 mi · 2,550 people · home $299,800
- Elk Mound, WI6.4 mi · 1,897 people · home $274,200
- Howard, WI6.6 mi · 777 people · home $249,100
- Elk Mound, WI8.7 mi · 985 people · home $150,000
- Cooks Valley, WI8.9 mi · 757 people · home $279,100
- Red Cedar, WI9.6 mi · 2,359 people · home $300,000
Colfax questions
Is Colfax, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colfax scores better for retirees than 67% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 18%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in Colfax?
The median owner-occupied home in Colfax is valued at $173,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,762, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $698 a month.
What is the weather like in Colfax?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.9 inches of precipitation a year and 46.5 inches of snow.
Does Colfax get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colfax since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 4, 1958. 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)