The Town FilesGardner, Wisconsin
Town in Door County · population 1,218 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $406,100
- Household income
- $69,474
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 56.0
Gardner is a town of 1,218 people in Door County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $406,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 92% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 85% of Wisconsin towns.
How Gardner 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 Gardner is worth $406,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $69,474, which is more affordable than 1% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,196 a month. 94.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gardner | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $406,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,196 | $951 |
| Median household income | $69,474 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 42.5% | — |
Who lives in Gardner
| People | Gardner | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Gardner
July highs average 78.0°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gardner since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 8, 1985 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 8, 1985.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 9, 2001.
Severe weather in Door County since 1996
Door County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| January 24, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3163: Snow |
| June 17, 1976 | Drought | EM-3014: Drought |
Jobs and pay in Door County
Door County had 14,223 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,594 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Gardner itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Towns near Gardner
- Nasewaupee, WI5.0 mi · 1,984 people · home $294,000
- Brussels, WI9.5 mi · 1,125 people · home $278,200
- Peshtigo, WI10.1 mi · 4,006 people · home $213,700
- Sturgeon Bay, WI10.5 mi · 9,646 people · home $236,300
- Union, WI10.8 mi · 1,005 people · home $358,600
- Forestville, WI11.5 mi · 1,063 people · home $223,700
- Egg Harbor, WI13.4 mi · 1,458 people · home $411,800
- Oconto, WI14.4 mi · 4,609 people · home $148,700
Gardner questions
Is Gardner, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gardner scores better for retirees than 92% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 73%. 31.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.0).
How much does a house cost in Gardner?
The median owner-occupied home in Gardner is valued at $406,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,474, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,196 a month.
What is the weather like in Gardner?
July highs average 78.0°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 51.9 inches of snow.
Does Gardner get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gardner since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 8, 1985. 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)