The Town FilesCooks Valley, Wisconsin
Town in Chippewa County · population 757 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $279,100
- Household income
- $99,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 38.6
Cooks Valley is a town of 757 people in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $279,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Wisconsin towns.
How Cooks Valley 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 Cooks Valley is worth $279,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $99,375, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $986 a month. 91.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cooks Valley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $279,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $986 | $951 |
| Median household income | $99,375 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Cooks Valley
| People | Cooks Valley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 2.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Cooks Valley
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 41.8 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
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooks Valley since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 4, 1958 about 4.6 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 26 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 28, 2023.
Severe weather in Chippewa County since 1996
Chippewa County has been included in 11 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 |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 18, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1526: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chippewa County
Chippewa County had 26,613 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,189 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Cooks Valley itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Cooks Valley
- Bloomer, WI4.8 mi · 3,683 people · home $214,000
- Auburn, WI5.4 mi · 776 people · home $287,800
- Woodmohr, WI5.7 mi · 1,004 people · home $288,000
- Howard, WI6.2 mi · 777 people · home $249,100
- Tilden, WI8.0 mi · 1,516 people · home $322,300
- New Auburn, WI8.4 mi · 562 people · home $169,900
- Bloomer, WI8.5 mi · 1,090 people · home $295,100
- Sand Creek, WI8.5 mi · 603 people · home $193,400
Cooks Valley questions
Is Cooks Valley, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cooks Valley scores better for retirees than 38% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 21%. 12.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Cooks Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Cooks Valley is valued at $279,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,375, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $986 a month.
What is the weather like in Cooks Valley?
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 41.8 inches of snow.
Does Cooks Valley get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cooks Valley 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)