The Town FilesOntario, Wisconsin
Village in Vernon County · population 534 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $141,700
- Household income
- $50,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 37.1
Ontario is a village of 534 people in Vernon County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $141,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 79% of Wisconsin towns.
How Ontario 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 Ontario is worth $141,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $50,250, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $748 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ontario | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $748 | $951 |
| Median household income | $50,250 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.0% | — |
Who lives in Ontario
| People | Ontario | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in Ontario
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 10.8°F. About 35.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ontario since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1957 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 15, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 28, 1998.
Severe weather in Vernon County since 1996
Vernon County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Vernon County
Vernon County had 8,718 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,085 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Ontario itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Ontario
2 public schools with 604 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton Elementary | PK-6 | 330 | 11.8 |
| Brookwood High | 7-12 | 274 | 13.0 |
Towns near Ontario
- Whitestown, WI2.9 mi · 623 people · home $195,600
- Sheldon, WI3.9 mi · 649 people · home $271,900
- Forest, WI5.6 mi · 617 people · home $257,500
- Wellington, WI6.0 mi · 666 people · home $316,100
- Wilton, WI7.1 mi · 532 people · home $166,800
- Clinton, WI7.8 mi · 1,374 people · home $347,900
- Norwalk, WI7.9 mi · 611 people · home $96,700
- Jefferson, WI8.6 mi · 841 people · home $263,200
Ontario questions
Is Ontario, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ontario scores better for retirees than 32% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 50%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Ontario?
The median owner-occupied home in Ontario is valued at $141,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,250, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $748 a month.
What is the weather like in Ontario?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 10.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.0 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Ontario get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ontario since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1957. 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)