The Town FilesPine River, Wisconsin
Town in Lincoln County · population 1,874 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $280,000
- Household income
- $109,722
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 49.8
Pine River is a town of 1,874 people in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $280,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Pine River 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 Pine River is worth $280,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $109,722, which is more affordable than 83% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $758 a month. 93.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pine River | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $758 | $951 |
| Median household income | $109,722 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 93.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Pine River
| People | Pine River | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Pine River
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine River since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 10, 2011 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 16, 1997.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 9 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 |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| July 2, 1993 | Severe Storm | DR-994: Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 9,997 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,054 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Pine River itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Pine River
- Schley, WI6.0 mi · 950 people · home $217,000
- Texas, WI6.4 mi · 1,611 people · home $231,100
- Merrill, WI8.1 mi · 9,347 people · home $123,800
- Hewitt, WI8.4 mi · 636 people · home $210,400
- Merrill, WI8.8 mi · 2,881 people · home $197,500
- Scott, WI9.4 mi · 1,377 people · home $266,400
- Maine, WI10.2 mi · 2,613 people · home $277,500
- Wausau, WI12.0 mi · 2,161 people · home $231,400
Pine River questions
Is Pine River, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pine River scores better for retirees than 18% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 64%. 18.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Pine River?
The median owner-occupied home in Pine River is valued at $280,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,722, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $758 a month.
What is the weather like in Pine River?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.3 inches of snow.
Does Pine River get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 10, 2011. 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)