The Town FilesLake, Wisconsin
Town in Marinette County · population 1,186 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,300
- Household income
- $77,857
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 52.8
Lake is a town of 1,186 people in Marinette County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $182,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Lake 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 Lake is worth $182,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $77,857, which is more affordable than 92% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,021 a month. 95.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,021 | $951 |
| Median household income | $77,857 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.1% | — |
Who lives in Lake
| People | Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in Lake
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 9.2°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on August 19, 1968 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 15, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 19, 1968.
Severe weather in Marinette County since 1996
Marinette County has been included in 7 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 |
| July 19, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1429: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Marinette County
Marinette County had 17,599 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,321 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Lake
- Porterfield, WI6.1 mi · 1,888 people · home $234,300
- Crivitz, WI6.2 mi · 1,093 people · home $167,100
- Middle Inlet, WI7.4 mi · 851 people · home $152,400
- Beaver, WI9.5 mi · 1,153 people · home $191,200
- Wagner, WI10.0 mi · 653 people · home $180,400
- Grover, WI10.1 mi · 1,731 people · home $200,000
- Coleman, WI11.8 mi · 726 people · home $165,100
- Peshtigo, WI11.9 mi · 3,420 people · home $140,300
Lake questions
Is Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake scores better for retirees than 55% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 61%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake is valued at $182,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,857, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,021 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 9.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.6 inches of snow.
Does Lake get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on August 19, 1968. 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)