The Town FilesPrairie Farm, Wisconsin
Town in Barron County · population 566 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $235,400
- Household income
- $71,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 42.6
Prairie Farm is a town of 566 people in Barron County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $235,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 86% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Prairie Farm 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 Prairie Farm is worth $235,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $71,500, which is more affordable than 43% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 82.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prairie Farm | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $900 | $951 |
| Median household income | $71,500 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Prairie Farm
| People | Prairie Farm | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Prairie Farm
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.4°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie Farm since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 30, 1977 about 9.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 31 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 11, 2017.
Severe weather in Barron County since 1996
Barron County has been included in 10 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 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Barron County
Barron County had 21,519 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,983 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Prairie Farm itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Towns near Prairie Farm
- Dallas, WI5.3 mi · 570 people · home $239,800
- Arland, WI5.6 mi · 712 people · home $196,300
- Vance Creek, WI6.0 mi · 689 people · home $231,500
- Maple Grove, WI7.9 mi · 877 people · home $206,400
- Turtle Lake, WI8.5 mi · 640 people · home $259,600
- New Haven, WI8.9 mi · 673 people · home $219,300
- Wilson, WI9.4 mi · 504 people · home $205,200
- Clayton, WI10.8 mi · 550 people · home $135,700
Prairie Farm questions
Is Prairie Farm, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prairie Farm scores better for retirees than 67% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 86%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Prairie Farm?
The median owner-occupied home in Prairie Farm is valued at $235,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,500, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Prairie Farm?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 51.0 inches of snow.
Does Prairie Farm get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie Farm since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 30, 1977. 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)