The Town FilesHow, Wisconsin
Town in Oconto County · population 527 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $211,900
- Household income
- $81,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 48.3
How is a town of 527 people in Oconto County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $211,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 87% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How How 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 How is worth $211,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $81,125, which is more affordable than 83% of Wisconsin towns. 92.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | How | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $211,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | — | $951 |
| Median household income | $81,125 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 92.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in How
| People | How | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in How
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of How since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1979 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 1, 2006.
Severe weather in Oconto County since 1996
Oconto 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 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 17, 1976 | Drought | EM-3014: Drought |
Jobs and pay in Oconto County
Oconto County had 9,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,685 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in How itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Towns near How
- Suring, WI3.3 mi · 517 people · home $85,400
- Underhill, WI5.1 mi · 864 people · home $165,700
- Maple Valley, WI6.5 mi · 647 people · home $178,400
- Breed, WI6.5 mi · 698 people · home $198,700
- Legend Lake, WI8.0 mi · 1,670 people · home $129,600
- Gillett, WI8.1 mi · 989 people · home $203,100
- Gillett, WI8.6 mi · 1,289 people · home $118,200
- Keshena, WI10.8 mi · 1,257 people · home $140,900
How questions
Is How, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, How scores better for retirees than 25% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 87%. 27.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.3).
How much does a house cost in How?
The median owner-occupied home in How is valued at $211,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,125, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in How?
July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 56.6 inches of snow.
Does How get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of How since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1979. 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)