The Town FilesOshkosh, Wisconsin
Town in Winnebago County · population 2,439 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $375,900
- Household income
- $103,098
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 52.4
Oshkosh is a town of 2,439 people in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $375,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 86% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 85% of Wisconsin towns.
How Oshkosh 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 Oshkosh is worth $375,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $103,098, which is more affordable than 27% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $873 a month. 88.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oshkosh | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $375,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $873 | $951 |
| Median household income | $103,098 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 88.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Oshkosh
| People | Oshkosh | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.4 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Oshkosh
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 10.2°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oshkosh since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1974 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 27, 1989.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Tornado | DR-4949: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 93,556 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,380 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Oshkosh itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Oshkosh
7 public schools with 664 students, about 9.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oaklawn Elementary | K-5 | 410 | 12.8 |
| E Cook Elementary | K-5 | 246 | 11.7 |
| Winnebago Mental Health Institution | PK-12 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Oshkosh Correctional Institution | 12-12 | 1 | — |
| Wisconsin Resource Center | 8-12 | — | — |
| Winnebago Correctional Center | 12-12 | — | — |
| Drug Abuse Correctional Center | 12-12 | — | — |
Towns near Oshkosh
- Oshkosh, WI3.1 mi · 66,816 people · home $177,700
- Vinland, WI5.7 mi · 1,769 people · home $325,400
- Algoma, WI6.3 mi · 6,866 people · home $334,400
- Black Wolf, WI7.4 mi · 2,429 people · home $320,700
- Neenah, WI8.4 mi · 27,319 people · home $210,700
- Winneconne, WI8.4 mi · 2,590 people · home $368,800
- Butte des Morts, WI8.5 mi · 1,005 people · home $404,100
- Nekimi, WI9.4 mi · 1,337 people · home $277,700
Oshkosh questions
Is Oshkosh, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oshkosh scores better for retirees than 18% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 11%. 28.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.4).
How much does a house cost in Oshkosh?
The median owner-occupied home in Oshkosh is valued at $375,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,098, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $873 a month.
What is the weather like in Oshkosh?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 10.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 39.2 inches of snow.
Does Oshkosh get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oshkosh since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1974. 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)