The Town FilesOttawa, Wisconsin
Town in Waukesha County · population 3,646 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $425,900
- Household income
- $153,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 43.2
Ottawa is a town of 3,646 people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $425,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more of a college town than 96% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 93% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 93% of Wisconsin towns.
How Ottawa 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 Ottawa is worth $425,900, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $153,018, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $875 a month. 98.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ottawa | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $875 | $951 |
| Median household income | $153,018 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 98.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Ottawa
| People | Ottawa | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 89.1% |
Weather in Ottawa
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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ottawa since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 27, 1984 about 6.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 35 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 28, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 64 times; the largest was 3.75 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Waukesha County since 1996
Waukesha County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Flood | DR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 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 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 Ottawa itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Towns near Ottawa
- Eagle, WI4.8 mi · 3,478 people · home $475,100
- Summit, WI5.8 mi · 4,784 people · home $533,300
- Genesee, WI6.5 mi · 7,171 people · home $437,500
- Wales, WI6.8 mi · 2,862 people · home $399,400
- Mukwonago, WI7.8 mi · 7,781 people · home $447,300
- Delafield, WI8.9 mi · 7,185 people · home $555,800
- Delafield, WI9.4 mi · 8,095 people · home $613,300
- Oconomowoc, WI9.6 mi · 18,203 people · home $394,500
Ottawa questions
Is Ottawa, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ottawa scores better for retirees than 93% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 43%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).
How much does a house cost in Ottawa?
The median owner-occupied home in Ottawa is valued at $425,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $153,018, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $875 a month.
What is the weather like in Ottawa?
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 Ottawa get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ottawa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 27, 1984. 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)