The Town FilesOrion, Wisconsin
Town in Richland County · population 541 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,400
- Household income
- $73,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 61.3
Orion is a town of 541 people in Richland County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $236,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 85% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 74% of Wisconsin towns.
How Orion 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 Orion is worth $236,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $73,500, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $863 a month. 90.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orion | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $863 | $951 |
| Median household income | $73,500 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 90.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 29.4% | — |
Who lives in Orion
| People | Orion | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 12.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Orion
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orion since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 11, 1965 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 19 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 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 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 Richland County
Richland County had 5,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,821 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Orion itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Towns near Orion
- Muscoda, WI4.9 mi · 1,307 people · home $133,600
- Avoca, WI5.0 mi · 553 people · home $115,400
- Richland, WI6.2 mi · 1,175 people · home $264,100
- Richland Center, WI6.4 mi · 5,114 people · home $158,300
- Buena Vista, WI7.0 mi · 1,807 people · home $195,400
- Muscoda, WI7.8 mi · 754 people · home $174,400
- Dayton, WI8.1 mi · 763 people · home $242,400
- Ithaca, WI9.1 mi · 633 people · home $228,900
Orion questions
Is Orion, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orion scores better for retirees than 74% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 85%. 39.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.3).
How much does a house cost in Orion?
The median owner-occupied home in Orion is valued at $236,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,500, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $863 a month.
What is the weather like in Orion?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Orion get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orion 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)