The Town Files

Norway, Wisconsin

Town in Racine County · population 7,916 (2020 Census)

Map: where Norway is in WisconsinNorway
Median home
$412,700
Household income
$103,278
Jan low / Jul high
12° / 82°
Snow a year
41 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
30
Median age
49.0

Norway is a town of 7,916 people in Racine County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $412,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 94% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 86% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 86% of Wisconsin towns.

How Norway 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.

Norway lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement57th pctFamilies86th pctQuiet32nd pctWalkability84th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals58th pctVibrancy48th pctHip & trendy22nd pctCollege town86th pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit94th pctDriving56th 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 Norway is worth $412,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $103,278, which is more affordable than 13% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,177 a month. 80.6% of households own their home.

Norway vs Racine County vs typical Wisconsin townNorwayRacine CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$412,700$251,400$256,000Household income$103,278$78,096$82,217Monthly rent$1,177$1,080$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingNorwayTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$412,700$256,000
Median rent$1,177$951
Median household income$103,278$82,217
Home value ÷ income4.0×3.1×
Homeownership80.6%86.8%
Median year built19841978
Seasonal / vacation homes2.5%—

Who lives in Norway

PeopleNorwayTypical Wisconsin town
Median age49.045.1
Age 65 and over18.8%21.0%
Under 1819.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher28.5%23.8%
Below the poverty line5.4%7.2%
Veterans7.3%—
Born outside the U.S.1.7%—
Work from home11.7%10.9%
Average commute31.1 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband92.8%89.1%

Weather in Norway

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 11.6°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.

Norway monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing29°12°Jan32°14°Feb43°24°Mar56°35°Apr68°45°May78°55°Jun82°60°Jul81°58°Aug74°50°Sep61°39°Oct46°28°Nov34°18°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.713.01.711.02.14.93.81.74.04.73.83.83.63.00.12.42.11.97.7
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Rochester Wwtp station (7.1 mi away); snow from Union Grove (8.6 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norway since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 5, 1977 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Norway by decade31950s31960s41970s51980s01990s22000s62010s72020s
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 55 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 2, 2015.

Severe weather in Racine County since 1996

Storm events in Racine County since 1996 by typeHail110Heat37Flood34Drought18Dense Fog75High Wind21Lightning26Strong Wind53
NOAA Storm Events Database, Racine County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 15 deaths recorded.

Racine County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
March 11, 2020FloodDR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding
April 5, 2011SnowstormDR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Racine County

Racine County had 76,342 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,150 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Norway itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.

Largest industries in Racine CountyManufacturing17,677 jobs · $87,212Health care & social assistan…11,080 jobs · $56,928Retail8,812 jobs · $33,873Hotels & restaurants6,514 jobs · $20,865Wholesale trade3,577 jobs · $69,613Construction3,462 jobs · $77,867
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Racine County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Racine 3.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Norway

2 public schools with 286 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
North Cape ElementaryPK-819713.1
Drought ElementaryPK-8899.9

Towns near Norway

Norway questions

Is Norway, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Norway scores better for retirees than 57% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 32%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.0).

How much does a house cost in Norway?

The median owner-occupied home in Norway is valued at $412,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,278, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,177 a month.

What is the weather like in Norway?

July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 11.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 40.5 inches of snow.

Does Norway get tornadoes?

30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Norway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 5, 1977. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Norway's Census boundary (GEOID 5510158600). 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.