The Town Files

La Follette, Wisconsin

Town in Burnett County · population 559 (2020 Census)

Map: where La Follette is in WisconsinLa Follette
Median home
$308,600
Household income
$71,346
Jan low / Jul high
2° / 80°
Snow a year
56 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
7
Median age
51.7

La Follette is a town of 559 people in Burnett County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $308,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 78% of Wisconsin towns.

How La Follette 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.

La Follette lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement78th pctFamilies40th pctQuiet95th pctWalkability4th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals42nd pctVibrancy11th pctHip & trendy18th pctCollege town5th pctUpscale54th pctVacation homes93rd pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit57th pctDriving63rd 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 La Follette is worth $308,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $71,346, which is more affordable than 8% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $650 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.

La Follette vs Burnett County vs typical Wisconsin townLa FolletteBurnett CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$308,600$231,300$256,000Household income$71,346$62,819$82,217Monthly rent$650$771$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingLa FolletteTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$308,600$256,000
Median rent$650$951
Median household income$71,346$82,217
Home value ÷ income4.3×3.1×
Homeownership85.5%86.8%
Median year built19851978
Seasonal / vacation homes49.9%—

Who lives in La Follette

PeopleLa FolletteTypical Wisconsin town
Median age51.745.1
Age 65 and over31.5%21.0%
Under 1819.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher32.9%23.8%
Below the poverty line7.5%7.2%
Veterans7.4%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home5.0%10.9%
Average commute32.5 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband88.7%89.1%

Weather in La Follette

July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 2.2°F. About 30.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.

La Follette monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing22°2°Jan27°7°Feb40°19°Mar54°31°Apr67°44°May76°53°Jun80°58°Jul78°56°Aug70°48°Sep56°36°Oct40°24°Nov27°11°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.710.70.810.81.39.22.74.43.60.34.14.23.93.63.00.81.47.10.913.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Danbury station (17.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Follette since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 18, 2001 about 2.5 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 34 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 28, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of La Follette by decade21950s01960s01970s01980s01990s42000s12010s02020s
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 43 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 8, 2000.

Severe weather in Burnett County since 1996

Storm events in Burnett County since 1996 by typeHail139Flood4Drought39Tornado10Ice Storm6Lightning3Heavy Snow73Flash Flood7
NOAA Storm Events Database, Burnett County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Burnett County has been included in 10 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
August 10, 2018FloodDR-4383: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
August 9, 2016Severe StormDR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Burnett County

Burnett County had 5,070 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,320 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in La Follette itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.

Largest industries in Burnett CountyManufacturing916 jobs · $62,847Hotels & restaurants578 jobs · $17,872Retail555 jobs · $30,740Other services185 jobs · $29,279Construction177 jobs · $53,943Professional & technical serv…93 jobs · $69,543
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Burnett County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Burnett 4.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near La Follette

La Follette questions

Is La Follette, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Follette scores better for retirees than 78% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 95%. 31.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.7).

How much does a house cost in La Follette?

The median owner-occupied home in La Follette is valued at $308,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,346, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $650 a month.

What is the weather like in La Follette?

July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 2.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.1 inches of precipitation a year and 56.3 inches of snow.

Does La Follette get tornadoes?

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Follette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 18, 2001. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to La Follette's Census boundary (GEOID 5501340975). 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.