The Town Files

North Prairie, Wisconsin

Village in Waukesha County · population 2,202 (2020 Census)

Map: where North Prairie is in WisconsinNorth Prairie
Median home
$424,100
Household income
$152,798
Jan low / Jul high
11° / 82°
Snow a year
51 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
30
Median age
41.2

North Prairie is a village of 2,202 people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $424,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 100% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 98% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 97% of Wisconsin towns.

North Prairie in our rankings:

How North Prairie 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.

North Prairie lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement64th pctFamilies100th pctQuiet27th pctWalkability83rd pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals79th pctVibrancy67th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town97th pctUpscale98th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit76th pctDriving61st 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 North Prairie is worth $424,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $152,798, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,304 a month. 92.2% of households own their home.

North Prairie vs Waukesha County vs typical Wisconsin townNorth PrairieWaukesha CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$424,100$398,200$256,000Household income$152,798$106,076$82,217Monthly rent$1,304$1,356$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingNorth PrairieTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$424,100$256,000
Median rent$1,304$951
Median household income$152,798$82,217
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.1×
Homeownership92.2%86.8%
Median year built19941978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in North Prairie

PeopleNorth PrairieTypical Wisconsin town
Median age41.245.1
Age 65 and over16.4%21.0%
Under 1825.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher43.7%23.8%
Below the poverty line2.8%7.2%
Veterans5.4%—
Born outside the U.S.1.1%—
Work from home14.8%10.9%
Average commute22.6 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband97.2%89.1%

Weather in North Prairie

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.

North Prairie monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°11°Jan31°14°Feb43°24°Mar56°35°Apr69°46°May78°56°Jun82°60°Jul80°59°Aug73°51°Sep60°40°Oct45°28°Nov33°17°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.713.21.811.72.16.33.92.44.34.94.14.03.53.00.42.43.22.113.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Sullivan 3Se station (7.7 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Prairie since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 27, 1984 about 3.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 33 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of North Prairie by decade21950s11960s21970s61980s11990s22000s62010s102020s
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 62 times; the largest was 3.75 inches on August 2, 2015.

Severe weather in Waukesha County since 1996

Storm events in Waukesha County since 1996 by typeHail236Heat34Flood26Drought18Dense Fog72Lightning59Flash Flood38Strong Wind50
NOAA Storm Events Database, Waukesha County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 8 deaths recorded.

Waukesha County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
September 11, 2025FloodDR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
June 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Waukesha County

Waukesha County had 247,891 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,989 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in North Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.

Largest industries in Waukesha CountyManufacturing42,071 jobs · $84,046Health care & social assistan…31,439 jobs · $64,294Retail25,535 jobs · $37,593Construction19,496 jobs · $89,547Hotels & restaurants17,400 jobs · $22,896Wholesale trade15,578 jobs · $93,922
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Waukesha County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Waukesha 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in North Prairie

1 public school with 437 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Prairie View ElementaryPK-643714.6

Towns near North Prairie

North Prairie questions

Is North Prairie, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, North Prairie scores better for retirees than 64% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 27%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).

How much does a house cost in North Prairie?

The median owner-occupied home in North Prairie is valued at $424,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $152,798, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,304 a month.

What is the weather like in North Prairie?

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 50.7 inches of snow.

Does North Prairie get tornadoes?

30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 27, 1984. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to North Prairie's Census boundary (GEOID 5558400). 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.