The Town FilesHawthorne, Wisconsin
Town in Douglas County · population 1,058 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $232,900
- Household income
- $101,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 47.7
Hawthorne is a town of 1,058 people in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $232,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Hawthorne 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 Hawthorne is worth $232,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $101,875, which is more affordable than 92% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,333 a month. 96.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hawthorne | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,333 | $951 |
| Median household income | $101,875 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 96.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.2% | — |
Who lives in Hawthorne
| People | Hawthorne | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Hawthorne
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 1.8°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawthorne since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 3, 1980 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 23, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 26, 2021.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 10 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 |
| August 10, 2018 | Flood | DR-4383: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 2, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4076: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 16,039 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,809 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Hawthorne itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Towns near Hawthorne
- Bennett, WI4.9 mi · 632 people · home $250,000
- Amnicon, WI5.4 mi · 1,224 people · home $196,700
- Poplar, WI5.5 mi · 629 people · home $255,600
- Lake Nebagamon, WI6.1 mi · 1,123 people · home $284,500
- Oakland, WI7.6 mi · 1,170 people · home $286,000
- Maple, WI9.1 mi · 700 people · home $201,300
- Solon Springs, WI10.0 mi · 970 people · home $268,100
- Solon Springs, WI11.2 mi · 656 people · home $211,500
Hawthorne questions
Is Hawthorne, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hawthorne scores better for retirees than 37% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 83%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.7).
How much does a house cost in Hawthorne?
The median owner-occupied home in Hawthorne is valued at $232,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,875, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,333 a month.
What is the weather like in Hawthorne?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 1.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 57.9 inches of snow.
Does Hawthorne get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hawthorne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 3, 1980. 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)