The Town FilesPoplar, Wisconsin
Village in Douglas County · population 629 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $255,600
- Household income
- $113,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 41.9
Poplar is a village of 629 people in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $255,600, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Poplar 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 Poplar is worth $255,600, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $113,125, which is more affordable than 92% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $979 a month. 91.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Poplar | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $979 | $951 |
| Median household income | $113,125 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 91.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Poplar
| People | Poplar | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Poplar
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 1.8°F. About 33.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Poplar since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 3, 1980 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 18, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 26, 2021.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 10, 2018 | Flood | DR-4383: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 2, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4076: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 16,039 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,809 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Poplar itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Poplar
2 public schools with 784 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Elementary | PK-5 | 502 | 16.7 |
| Northwestern Middle | 6-8 | 282 | 17.6 |
Towns near Poplar
- Maple, WI4.1 mi · 700 people · home $201,300
- Amnicon, WI4.3 mi · 1,224 people · home $196,700
- Hawthorne, WI5.5 mi · 1,058 people · home $232,900
- Lake Nebagamon, WI6.9 mi · 1,123 people · home $284,500
- Lakeside, WI7.1 mi · 681 people · home $244,000
- Brule, WI8.1 mi · 607 people · home $227,100
- Bennett, WI10.0 mi · 632 people · home $250,000
- Parkland, WI10.9 mi · 1,231 people · home $209,100
Poplar questions
Is Poplar, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Poplar scores better for retirees than 36% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 82%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Poplar?
The median owner-occupied home in Poplar is valued at $255,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,125, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $979 a month.
What is the weather like in Poplar?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 1.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.4 inches of precipitation a year and 57.3 inches of snow.
Does Poplar get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Poplar since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 3, 1980. 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)