The Town Files

Ellsworth, Wisconsin

Town in Pierce County · population 1,121 (2020 Census)

Map: where Ellsworth is in WisconsinEllsworth
Median home
$387,400
Household income
$121,250
Jan low / Jul high
2° / 80°
Snow a year
44 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
19
Median age
38.7

Ellsworth is a town of 1,121 people in Pierce County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $387,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks hipper than 87% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 80% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 76% of Wisconsin towns.

How Ellsworth 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.

Ellsworth lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement25th pctFamilies29th pctQuiet18th pctWalkability80th pctFirst-time buyers66th pctYoung professionals50th pctVibrancy76th pctHip & trendy87th pctCollege town46th pctUpscale57th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving35th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Ellsworth is worth $387,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $121,250, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,281 a month. 94.2% of households own their home.

Ellsworth vs Pierce County vs typical Wisconsin townEllsworthPierce CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$387,400$333,700$256,000Household income$121,250$92,109$82,217Monthly rent$1,281$1,044$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingEllsworthTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$387,400$256,000
Median rent$1,281$951
Median household income$121,250$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.1×
Homeownership94.2%86.8%
Median year built19801978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Ellsworth

PeopleEllsworthTypical Wisconsin town
Median age38.745.1
Age 65 and over18.9%21.0%
Under 1826.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher33.4%23.8%
Below the poverty line3.1%7.2%
Veterans7.7%—
Born outside the U.S.0.9%—
Work from home12.2%10.9%
Average commute31.4 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband95.9%89.1%

Weather in Ellsworth

July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 2.4°F. About 35.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.

Ellsworth monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing21°2°Jan27°6°Feb39°19°Mar54°31°Apr66°43°May76°53°Jun80°57°Jul78°55°Aug71°47°Sep57°35°Oct40°22°Nov27°10°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.09.31.010.32.07.83.03.04.50.35.34.15.03.92.80.32.03.21.49.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Ellsworth 1E station (1.6 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellsworth since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 24, 1958 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 29, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Ellsworth by decade21950s31960s21970s21980s11990s42000s42010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 24, 2006.

Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996

Storm events in Pierce County since 1996 by typeHail105Heat6Flood6Tornado14Heavy Rain9Heavy Snow17Flash Flood11Winter Storm69
NOAA Storm Events Database, Pierce County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Pierce County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
May 11, 2001FloodDR-1369: Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes
July 24, 1998Severe StormDR-1236: Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And Floodi

Jobs and pay in Pierce County

Pierce County had 10,512 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,483 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Ellsworth itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.

Largest industries in Pierce CountyManufacturing1,700 jobs · $62,948Hotels & restaurants1,189 jobs · $19,302Retail1,054 jobs · $29,516Health care & social assistan…799 jobs · $39,246Construction453 jobs · $69,525Wholesale trade360 jobs · $65,780
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Pierce County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Pierce 3.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Ellsworth

Ellsworth questions

Is Ellsworth, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ellsworth scores better for retirees than 25% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 18%. 18.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).

How much does a house cost in Ellsworth?

The median owner-occupied home in Ellsworth is valued at $387,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,250, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,281 a month.

What is the weather like in Ellsworth?

July highs average 79.5°F and January lows 2.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.9 inches of precipitation a year and 43.5 inches of snow.

Does Ellsworth get tornadoes?

19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ellsworth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 24, 1958. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Ellsworth's Census boundary (GEOID 5509323550). Comparisons use the median of Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.