The Town FilesCross Plains, Wisconsin
Town in Dane County · population 1,494 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $571,200
- Household income
- $162,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 48.6
Cross Plains is a town of 1,494 people in Dane County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $571,200, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 91% of Wisconsin towns.
How Cross Plains 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 Cross Plains is worth $571,200, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $162,000, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,083 a month. 95.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cross Plains | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $571,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,083 | $951 |
| Median household income | $162,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Cross Plains
| People | Cross Plains | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Cross Plains
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 9.6°F. About 39.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cross Plains since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 8.4 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 201 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 101 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Dane County since 1996
Dane County has been included in 19 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 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Dane County
Dane County had 359,249 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,481 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Cross Plains itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Cross Plains
- Cross Plains, WI2.6 mi · 4,104 people · home $376,500
- Middleton, WI4.7 mi · 6,792 people · home $689,400
- Berry, WI5.5 mi · 1,168 people · home $456,400
- Black Earth, WI5.7 mi · 1,493 people · home $290,800
- Vermont, WI6.0 mi · 871 people · home $586,500
- Mount Horeb, WI6.1 mi · 7,754 people · home $388,900
- Springdale, WI7.1 mi · 2,056 people · home $577,500
- Middleton, WI8.1 mi · 21,827 people · home $484,200
Cross Plains questions
Is Cross Plains, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cross Plains scores better for retirees than 93% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 49%. 24.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.6).
How much does a house cost in Cross Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Cross Plains is valued at $571,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $162,000, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,083 a month.
What is the weather like in Cross Plains?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 9.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.2 inches of precipitation a year and 38.5 inches of snow.
Does Cross Plains get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cross Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. 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)