The Town FilesMount Ida, Wisconsin
Town in Grant County · population 561 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,800
- Household income
- $66,538
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 28.9
Mount Ida is a town of 561 people in Grant County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $245,800, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more of a college town than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 81% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 80% of Wisconsin towns.
How Mount Ida 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 Mount Ida is worth $245,800, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $66,538, which is more affordable than 23% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $688 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Ida | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $688 | $951 |
| Median household income | $66,538 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mount Ida
| People | Mount Ida | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 21.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Mount Ida
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 7.7°F. About 37.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Ida since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 12, 1976.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4141: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 17,200 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,501 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Mount Ida itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Mount Ida
- Fennimore, WI3.6 mi · 2,764 people · home $161,400
- North Lancaster, WI5.7 mi · 581 people · home $279,900
- Marion, WI6.0 mi · 629 people · home $243,200
- Fennimore, WI6.1 mi · 594 people · home $282,000
- Hickory Grove, WI8.5 mi · 568 people · home $310,700
- Liberty, WI8.5 mi · 543 people · home $147,900
- Lancaster, WI9.8 mi · 3,907 people · home $204,000
- Boscobel, WI11.0 mi · 3,286 people · home $147,400
Mount Ida questions
Is Mount Ida, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Ida scores better for retirees than 25% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 14%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.9).
How much does a house cost in Mount Ida?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Ida is valued at $245,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,538, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $688 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Ida?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 7.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.4 inches of precipitation a year and 37.2 inches of snow.
Does Mount Ida get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Ida since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 11, 1965. 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)