The Town Files

Lakeside, Wisconsin

Town in Douglas County · population 681 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lakeside is in WisconsinLakeside
Median home
$244,000
Household income
$82,330
Jan low / Jul high
6° / 76°
Snow a year
64 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
43.5

Lakeside is a town of 681 people in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $244,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 82% of Wisconsin towns.

How Lakeside 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.

Lakeside lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement33rd pctFamilies82nd pctQuiet80th pctWalkability14th pctFirst-time buyers45th pctYoung professionals12th pctVibrancy36th pctHip & trendy39th pctCollege town14th pctUpscale69th pctVacation homes86th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit49th pctDriving93rd 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 Lakeside is worth $244,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $82,330, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $939 a month. 87.7% of households own their home.

Lakeside vs Douglas County vs typical Wisconsin townLakesideDouglas CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$244,000$205,800$256,000Household income$82,330$75,099$82,217Monthly rent$939$909$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingLakesideTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$244,000$256,000
Median rent$939$951
Median household income$82,330$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.0×3.1×
Homeownership87.7%86.8%
Median year built19781978
Seasonal / vacation homes9.7%—

Who lives in Lakeside

PeopleLakesideTypical Wisconsin town
Median age43.545.1
Age 65 and over20.3%21.0%
Under 1827.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher36.9%23.8%
Below the poverty line4.4%7.2%
Veterans11.8%—
Born outside the U.S.3.5%—
Work from home7.4%10.9%
Average commute28.8 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband83.6%89.1%

Weather in Lakeside

July highs average 76.1°F and January lows 5.8°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.

Lakeside monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing23°6°Jan27°9°Feb36°21°Mar46°32°Apr57°41°May67°50°Jun76°58°Jul75°58°Aug67°50°Sep53°39°Oct39°26°Nov27°13°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.815.00.913.01.410.02.63.43.40.24.63.93.93.43.20.82.17.81.313.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Superior station (11.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside 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 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2020.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lakeside by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s11990s02000s02010s12020s
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 13 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 26, 2021.

Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996

Storm events in Douglas County since 1996 by typeHail96Flood7Drought41Ice Storm8Lightning7Heavy Snow127Flash Flood17Winter Storm12
NOAA Storm Events Database, Douglas County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Douglas County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

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
August 2, 2012Severe StormDR-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 Lakeside itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.

Largest industries in Douglas CountyHotels & restaurants2,186 jobs · $18,918Retail2,088 jobs · $35,646Manufacturing1,756 jobs · $77,570Health care & social assistan…1,728 jobs · $46,109Transportation & warehousing1,414 jobs · $76,998Construction980 jobs · $82,431
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Douglas County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Douglas 4.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Lakeside

Lakeside questions

Is Lakeside, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakeside scores better for retirees than 33% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 80%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.5).

How much does a house cost in Lakeside?

The median owner-occupied home in Lakeside is valued at $244,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,330, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $939 a month.

What is the weather like in Lakeside?

July highs average 76.1°F and January lows 5.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 64.1 inches of snow.

Does Lakeside get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 3, 1980. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lakeside's Census boundary (GEOID 5503141800). 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.