The Town FilesRib Lake, Wisconsin
Town in Taylor County · population 763 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,500
- Household income
- $79,091
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 46.6
Rib Lake is a town of 763 people in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $225,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 83% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Wisconsin towns.
How Rib Lake 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 Rib Lake is worth $225,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $79,091, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $625 a month. 94.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rib Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $625 | $951 |
| Median household income | $79,091 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 25.7% | — |
Who lives in Rib Lake
| People | Rib Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 18.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Rib Lake
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 0.5°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 190 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Rib Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 18, 2024.
Severe weather in Taylor County since 1996
Taylor County has been included in 8 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 |
| October 21, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 18, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1526: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Taylor County
Taylor County had 7,832 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,788 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Rib Lake itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Rib Lake
- Rib Lake, WI3.5 mi · 935 people · home $99,400
- Greenwood, WI6.7 mi · 621 people · home $188,200
- Corning, WI9.5 mi · 825 people · home $211,200
- Chelsea, WI11.6 mi · 710 people · home $198,200
- Browning, WI12.8 mi · 910 people · home $245,200
- Ogema, WI14.0 mi · 727 people · home $129,600
- Bern, WI15.8 mi · 614 people · home $237,500
- Medford, WI15.9 mi · 2,482 people · home $264,900
Rib Lake questions
Is Rib Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rib Lake scores better for retirees than 36% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 60%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Rib Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Rib Lake is valued at $225,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,091, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $625 a month.
What is the weather like in Rib Lake?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 0.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 56.7 inches of snow.
Does Rib Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Rib Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)