The Town FilesGarfield, Wisconsin
Town in Jackson County · population 756 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,000
- Household income
- $66,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 46.5
Garfield is a town of 756 people in Jackson County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $250,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 91% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 87% of Wisconsin towns.
How Garfield 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 Garfield is worth $250,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $66,000, which is more affordable than 19% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 92.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garfield | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $936 | $951 |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 92.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.6% | — |
Who lives in Garfield
| People | Garfield | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 13.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Garfield
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 3.8°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 26, 1959 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 7,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,504 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Garfield itself the ACS puts it at 9%.
Towns near Garfield
- Sumner, WI4.9 mi · 840 people · home $246,600
- Osseo, WI5.0 mi · 1,811 people · home $181,600
- Northfield, WI6.2 mi · 674 people · home $265,300
- Cleveland, WI7.5 mi · 530 people · home $196,000
- Augusta, WI8.3 mi · 1,567 people · home $148,400
- Hale, WI10.7 mi · 1,061 people · home $361,700
- Unity, WI11.3 mi · 511 people · home $333,300
- Bridge Creek, WI11.3 mi · 2,214 people · home $280,100
Garfield questions
Is Garfield, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garfield scores better for retirees than 21% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 87%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Garfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Garfield is valued at $250,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,000, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Garfield?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 3.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Garfield get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 26, 1959. 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)