The Town Files

Lowville, Wisconsin

Town in Columbia County · population 1,017 (2020 Census)

Map: where Lowville is in WisconsinLowville
Median home
$348,800
Household income
$108,063
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 82°
Snow a year
43 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
21
Median age
47.9

Lowville is a town of 1,017 people in Columbia County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $348,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 87% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Wisconsin towns.

How Lowville 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.

Lowville lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement48th pctFamilies68th pctQuiet87th pctWalkability66th pctFirst-time buyers87th pctYoung professionals64th pctVibrancy37th pctHip & trendy34th pctCollege town33rd pctUpscale60th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling57th pctTransitbottomDriving98th 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 Lowville is worth $348,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $108,063, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $625 a month. 90.7% of households own their home.

Lowville vs Columbia County vs typical Wisconsin townLowvilleColumbia CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$348,800$283,200$256,000Household income$108,063$85,351$82,217Monthly rent$625$978$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingLowvilleTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$348,800$256,000
Median rent$625$951
Median household income$108,063$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.1×
Homeownership90.7%86.8%
Median year built19711978
Seasonal / vacation homes3.2%—

Who lives in Lowville

PeopleLowvilleTypical Wisconsin town
Median age47.945.1
Age 65 and over20.8%21.0%
Under 1820.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher33.7%23.8%
Below the poverty line6.8%7.2%
Veterans6.0%—
Born outside the U.S.2.3%—
Work from home11.5%10.9%
Average commute30.1 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband91.2%89.1%

Weather in Lowville

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 8.7°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.

Lowville monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing26°9°Jan31°12°Feb43°23°Mar57°34°Apr69°46°May79°56°Jun82°60°Jul80°58°Aug73°49°Sep60°38°Oct44°26°Nov32°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.210.71.411.22.05.33.71.94.20.15.14.23.83.32.80.32.22.41.410.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Arlington station (6.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lowville since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 26, 1951 about 5.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 16 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Lowville by decade31950s11960s11970s71980s01990s62000s22010s12020s
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 24 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 3, 2004.

Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996

Storm events in Columbia County since 1996 by typeHail118Heat34Flood47Drought18Tornado18Dense Fog53Flash Flood24Strong Wind30
NOAA Storm Events Database, Columbia County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 12 deaths recorded.

Columbia County has been included in 11 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
June 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
August 26, 2007Severe StormDR-1719: Severe Storms And Flooding
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Columbia County

Columbia County had 21,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,667 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Lowville itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.

Largest industries in Columbia CountyManufacturing5,178 jobs · $69,473Retail2,613 jobs · $34,576Health care & social assistan…2,455 jobs · $52,813Hotels & restaurants2,002 jobs · $20,317Construction1,060 jobs · $69,469Administrative & support836 jobs · $47,595
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Columbia County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Columbia 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Lowville

Lowville questions

Is Lowville, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lowville scores better for retirees than 48% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 87%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.9).

How much does a house cost in Lowville?

The median owner-occupied home in Lowville is valued at $348,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,063, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $625 a month.

What is the weather like in Lowville?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 8.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 42.6 inches of snow.

Does Lowville get tornadoes?

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lowville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 26, 1951. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Lowville's Census boundary (GEOID 5502146050). 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.