The Town FilesLake Ripley, Wisconsin
Community in Jefferson County · population 1,911 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $366,300
- Household income
- $116,179
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 52.5
Lake Ripley is a community of 1,911 people in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $366,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for cycling than 96% of Wisconsin towns.
How Lake Ripley 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 Ripley is worth $366,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $116,179, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,350 a month. 85.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Ripley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $366,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,350 | $951 |
| Median household income | $116,179 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 85.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake Ripley
| People | Lake Ripley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Lake Ripley
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 11.4°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Ripley since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 18, 2005 about 6.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 62 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 13, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 71 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on May 11, 2011.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 33,615 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,167 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Lake Ripley itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Towns near Lake Ripley
- Cambridge, WI1.6 mi · 1,638 people · home $325,200
- Oakland, WI2.7 mi · 3,231 people · home $353,900
- Lake Mills, WI4.9 mi · 2,196 people · home $453,800
- Deerfield, WI5.2 mi · 2,507 people · home $315,900
- Deerfield, WI5.3 mi · 1,684 people · home $464,400
- Christiana, WI5.7 mi · 1,235 people · home $355,200
- Lake Mills, WI6.4 mi · 6,211 people · home $317,100
- Aztalan, WI8.3 mi · 1,382 people · home $381,100
Lake Ripley questions
Is Lake Ripley, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Ripley scores better for retirees than 97% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 52%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.5).
How much does a house cost in Lake Ripley?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Ripley is valued at $366,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $116,179, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,350 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Ripley?
July highs average 83.5°F and January lows 11.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 42.3 inches of snow.
Does Lake Ripley get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Ripley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 18, 2005. 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)