The Town Files

Little Black, Wisconsin

Town in Taylor County · population 1,156 (2020 Census)

Map: where Little Black is in WisconsinLittle Black
Median home
$180,100
Household income
$68,906
Jan low / Jul high
2° / 79°
Snow a year
57 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
38.0

Little Black is a town of 1,156 people in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $180,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 87% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 74% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of Wisconsin towns.

How Little Black 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.

Little Black lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement6th pctFamilies87th pctQuiet59th pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyers73rd pctYoung professionals19th pctVibrancy7th pctHip & trendy3rd pctCollege town20th pctUpscale20th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving74th 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 Little Black is worth $180,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $68,906, which is more affordable than 83% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $783 a month. 88.1% of households own their home.

Little Black vs Taylor County vs typical Wisconsin townLittle BlackTaylor CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$180,100$197,100$256,000Household income$68,906$69,350$82,217Monthly rent$783$823$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingLittle BlackTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$180,100$256,000
Median rent$783$951
Median household income$68,906$82,217
Home value ÷ income2.6×3.1×
Homeownership88.1%86.8%
Median year built19721978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Little Black

PeopleLittle BlackTypical Wisconsin town
Median age38.045.1
Age 65 and over20.0%21.0%
Under 1827.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher15.8%23.8%
Below the poverty line8.1%7.2%
Veterans7.3%—
Born outside the U.S.3.3%—
Work from home8.0%10.9%
Average commute20.0 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband83.4%89.1%

Weather in Little Black

July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 2.3°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.

Little Black monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing21°2°Jan26°6°Feb38°18°Mar52°31°Apr66°43°May75°53°Jun79°57°Jul77°55°Aug69°47°Sep55°35°Oct39°23°Nov26°10°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.112.81.113.91.76.03.04.03.70.14.84.04.33.93.30.51.94.51.415.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Medford station (4.2 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Little Black since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 28, 1971 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Little Black by decade21950s31960s31970s01980s01990s52000s02010s22020s
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 26 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 28, 2023.

Severe weather in Taylor County since 1996

Storm events in Taylor County since 1996 by typeHail100Flood9Drought13Tornado7Ice Storm9Heavy Rain10Heavy Snow19Winter Storm59
NOAA Storm Events Database, Taylor County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 3 deaths recorded.

Taylor County has been included in 8 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
October 21, 2010Severe StormDR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 18, 2004Severe StormDR-1526: Severe Storms And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Taylor County

Taylor County had 7,832 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,788 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Little Black itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.

Largest industries in Taylor CountyManufacturing2,600 jobs · $55,796Retail848 jobs · $30,670Hotels & restaurants614 jobs · $14,678Transportation & warehousing415 jobs · $57,714Agriculture, forestry & fishi…291 jobs · $40,974Finance & insurance235 jobs · $68,205
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Taylor County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Taylor 3.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Little Black

Little Black questions

Is Little Black, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Little Black scores better for retirees than 6% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 59%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).

How much does a house cost in Little Black?

The median owner-occupied home in Little Black is valued at $180,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,906, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $783 a month.

What is the weather like in Little Black?

July highs average 78.8°F and January lows 2.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.2 inches of precipitation a year and 57.0 inches of snow.

Does Little Black get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Little Black since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 28, 1971. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Little Black's Census boundary (GEOID 5511944900). 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.