The Town FilesPepin, Wisconsin
Town in Pepin County · population 741 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $264,200
- Household income
- $89,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 52.8
Pepin is a town of 741 people in Pepin County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $264,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Pepin 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 Pepin is worth $264,200, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $89,000, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,313 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pepin | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $264,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,313 | $951 |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.1% | — |
Who lives in Pepin
| People | Pepin | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 21.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in Pepin
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 4.5°F. About 35.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pepin since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 5, 2016 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 11, 2023.
Severe weather in Pepin County since 1996
Pepin County has been included in 13 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 11, 2001 | Flood | DR-1369: Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| July 24, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1236: Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And Floodi |
Jobs and pay in Pepin County
Pepin County had 2,463 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,655 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Pepin itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Towns near Pepin
- Pepin, WI2.2 mi · 731 people · home $209,400
- Lake City, MN7.1 mi · 5,252 people · home $238,700
- Maiden Rock, WI8.2 mi · 591 people · home $322,200
- Wabasha, MN8.6 mi · 2,559 people · home $262,300
- Nelson, WI8.6 mi · 574 people · home $301,900
- Plum City, WI11.4 mi · 596 people · home $168,400
- Florence, MN11.5 mi · 1,555 people · home $366,800
- Waterville, WI12.0 mi · 829 people · home $217,400
Pepin questions
Is Pepin, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pepin scores better for retirees than 20% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 88%. 32.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Pepin?
The median owner-occupied home in Pepin is valued at $264,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,000, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,313 a month.
What is the weather like in Pepin?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 4.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.2 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Pepin get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pepin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 5, 2016. 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)