The Town FilesMerrillan, Wisconsin
Village in Jackson County · population 562 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,600
- Household income
- $52,273
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 36.0
Merrillan is a village of 562 people in Jackson County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $139,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 76% of Wisconsin towns.
How Merrillan 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 Merrillan is worth $139,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $52,273, which is more affordable than 79% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 72.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Merrillan | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $775 | $951 |
| Median household income | $52,273 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.6% | — |
Who lives in Merrillan
| People | Merrillan | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Merrillan
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 5.4°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merrillan since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 26, 1959 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 7,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,504 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Merrillan itself the ACS puts it at 15.4%.
Public schools in Merrillan
1 public school with 313 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elementary | PK-6 | 313 | 11.6 |
Towns near Merrillan
- Alma, WI1.2 mi · 1,033 people · home $216,800
- Adams, WI6.7 mi · 1,389 people · home $247,400
- Mentor, WI7.4 mi · 546 people · home $128,300
- Hixton, WI8.7 mi · 620 people · home $204,200
- Cleveland, WI9.4 mi · 530 people · home $196,000
- Black River Falls, WI10.5 mi · 3,523 people · home $171,800
- Komensky, WI11.0 mi · 505 people · home $140,600
- Brockway, WI11.7 mi · 3,035 people · home $159,000
Merrillan questions
Is Merrillan, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Merrillan scores better for retirees than 7% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 57%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Merrillan?
The median owner-occupied home in Merrillan is valued at $139,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,273, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Merrillan?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 5.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 41.9 inches of snow.
Does Merrillan get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Merrillan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 26, 1959. 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)