The Town FilesRidgeway, Wisconsin
Town in Iowa County · population 563 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $451,600
- Household income
- $89,271
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 55.2
Ridgeway is a town of 563 people in Iowa County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $451,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 91% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Ridgeway 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 Ridgeway is worth $451,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $89,271, which is more affordable than 3% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,275 a month. 94.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ridgeway | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $451,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,275 | $951 |
| Median household income | $89,271 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.7% | — |
Who lives in Ridgeway
| People | Ridgeway | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Ridgeway
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgeway since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 2.0 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 201 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 13, 2006.
Severe weather in Iowa County since 1996
Iowa County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| August 8, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4141: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Iowa County
Iowa County had 10,688 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,369 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Ridgeway itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Towns near Ridgeway
- Ridgeway, WI3.1 mi · 624 people · home $202,700
- Brigham, WI5.4 mi · 1,037 people · home $423,600
- Dodgeville, WI5.9 mi · 4,984 people · home $242,600
- Dodgeville, WI6.6 mi · 1,586 people · home $403,800
- Barneveld, WI7.1 mi · 1,331 people · home $285,200
- Moscow, WI8.7 mi · 582 people · home $443,600
- Mineral Point, WI8.9 mi · 974 people · home $342,300
- Blue Mounds, WI10.4 mi · 948 people · home $337,700
Ridgeway questions
Is Ridgeway, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ridgeway scores better for retirees than 74% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 66%. 30.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.2).
How much does a house cost in Ridgeway?
The median owner-occupied home in Ridgeway is valued at $451,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,271, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,275 a month.
What is the weather like in Ridgeway?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Ridgeway get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgeway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. 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)