The Town Files

Little River, Wisconsin

Town in Oconto County · population 1,092 (2020 Census)

Map: where Little River is in WisconsinLittle River
Median home
$256,100
Household income
$92,292
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 81°
Snow a year
52 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
9
Median age
41.5

Little River is a town of 1,092 people in Oconto County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $256,100, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000).

How Little River 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 River lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement13th pctFamilies14th pctQuiet27th pctWalkability68th pctFirst-time buyers66th pctYoung professionals48th pctVibrancy65th pctHip & trendy31st pctCollege town67th pctUpscale27th pctVacation homes67th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving45th 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 River is worth $256,100, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $92,292, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $967 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.

Little River vs Oconto County vs typical Wisconsin townLittle RiverOconto CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$256,100$231,400$256,000Household income$92,292$75,049$82,217Monthly rent$967$791$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingLittle RiverTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$256,100$256,000
Median rent$967$951
Median household income$92,292$82,217
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.1×
Homeownership79.7%86.8%
Median year built19801978
Seasonal / vacation homes5.6%—

Who lives in Little River

PeopleLittle RiverTypical Wisconsin town
Median age41.545.1
Age 65 and over18.2%21.0%
Under 1825.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher15.2%23.8%
Below the poverty line1.8%7.2%
Veterans3.2%—
Born outside the U.S.0.6%—
Work from home10.0%10.9%
Average commute25.4 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband93.1%89.1%

Weather in Little River

July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.

Little River monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing26°9°Jan30°10°Feb40°21°Mar53°32°Apr66°44°May76°55°Jun81°59°Jul79°57°Aug72°49°Sep58°38°Oct44°27°Nov31°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.510.51.311.12.17.93.14.93.50.14.04.13.33.53.20.22.12.31.914.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Oconto 4 W station (6.0 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Little River since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on August 19, 1968 about 7.5 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 July 23, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Little River by decade01950s11960s11970s21980s01990s32000s12010s12020s
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 19 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 19, 1968.

Severe weather in Oconto County since 1996

Storm events in Oconto County since 1996 by typeHail74Flood23Drought44Dense Fog11Ice Storm12Heavy Snow36Strong Wind11Winter Storm97
NOAA Storm Events Database, Oconto County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Oconto County has been included in 6 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 27, 2019FloodDR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 17, 1976DroughtEM-3014: Drought

Jobs and pay in Oconto County

Oconto County had 9,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,685 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Little River itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.

Largest industries in Oconto CountyManufacturing2,297 jobs · $62,937Retail931 jobs · $29,936Hotels & restaurants822 jobs · $16,013Construction522 jobs · $54,248Transportation & warehousing296 jobs · $48,943Other services157 jobs · $48,952
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Oconto County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Oconto 3.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Little River

Little River questions

Is Little River, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Little River scores better for retirees than 13% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 27%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).

How much does a house cost in Little River?

The median owner-occupied home in Little River is valued at $256,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,292, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $967 a month.

What is the weather like in Little River?

July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 51.5 inches of snow.

Does Little River get tornadoes?

9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Little River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on August 19, 1968. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Little River's Census boundary (GEOID 5508345175). 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.