The Town FilesPhelps, Wisconsin
Town in Vilas County · population 1,238 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $240,100
- Household income
- $71,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 94 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 61.3
Phelps is a town of 1,238 people in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $240,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 99% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 89% of Wisconsin towns.
How Phelps 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 Phelps is worth $240,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $71,250, which is more affordable than 37% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $805 a month. 91.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Phelps | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $240,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $805 | $951 |
| Median household income | $71,250 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 53.5% | — |
Who lives in Phelps
| People | Phelps | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 9.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Phelps
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.2°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 94.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phelps since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 14, 1995 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 14, 1995.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 25, 2008.
Severe weather in Vilas County since 1996
Vilas County has been included in 7 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 |
| 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 |
| August 16, 1999 | Flood | DR-1284: Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
Jobs and pay in Vilas County
Vilas County had 8,275 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,114 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Phelps itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Phelps
2 public schools with 92 students, about 7.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps Elementary | PK-8 | 67 | 7.4 |
| Phelps High | 9-12 | 25 | 6.3 |
Towns near Phelps
- Washington, WI8.0 mi · 1,587 people · home $334,700
- Conover, WI10.6 mi · 1,318 people · home $273,600
- Eagle River, WI12.5 mi · 1,628 people · home $213,900
- Lincoln, WI12.9 mi · 2,659 people · home $290,600
- Watersmeet, MI15.7 mi · 1,456 people · home $264,800
- Cloverland, WI16.0 mi · 1,068 people · home $272,000
- Stambaugh, MI16.9 mi · 1,200 people · home $188,100
- Land O'Lakes, WI17.0 mi · 944 people · home $283,300
Phelps questions
Is Phelps, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Phelps scores better for retirees than 89% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 99%. 35.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.3).
How much does a house cost in Phelps?
The median owner-occupied home in Phelps is valued at $240,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,250, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $805 a month.
What is the weather like in Phelps?
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 94.0 inches of snow.
Does Phelps get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Phelps since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 14, 1995. 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)