The Town FilesPlain, Wisconsin
Village in Sauk County · population 749 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $234,200
- Household income
- $96,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 39.7
Plain is a village of 749 people in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $234,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Plain 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 Plain is worth $234,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $96,000, which is more affordable than 90% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $893 a month. 78.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plain | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $893 | $951 |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Plain
| People | Plain | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Plain
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F. About 34.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 151 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plain since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 18, 2005 about 6.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 7, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 3, 1997.
Severe weather in Sauk County since 1996
Sauk County has been included in 15 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 |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sauk County
Sauk County had 36,498 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,177 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Plain itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Plain
1 public school with 122 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Valley Early Learning Center | PK-K | 122 | 15.3 |
Towns near Plain
- Franklin, WI2.0 mi · 668 people · home $373,500
- Bear Creek, WI5.8 mi · 641 people · home $347,700
- Spring Green, WI6.3 mi · 1,828 people · home $241,300
- Troy, WI6.4 mi · 781 people · home $435,800
- Spring Green, WI7.0 mi · 1,566 people · home $248,800
- Honey Creek, WI7.4 mi · 749 people · home $439,500
- Lone Rock, WI10.2 mi · 829 people · home $115,900
- Arena, WI10.4 mi · 844 people · home $194,400
Plain questions
Is Plain, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plain scores better for retirees than 30% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 46%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Plain?
The median owner-occupied home in Plain is valued at $234,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,000, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $893 a month.
What is the weather like in Plain?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 9.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.1 inches of precipitation a year and 37.6 inches of snow.
Does Plain get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plain since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 18, 2005. 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)