The Town FilesSeneca, Wisconsin
Town in Wood County · population 1,039 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $221,200
- Household income
- $86,779
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 48.0
Seneca is a town of 1,039 people in Wood County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $221,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of Wisconsin towns, better for cycling than 81% of Wisconsin towns.
How Seneca 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 Seneca is worth $221,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $86,779, which is more affordable than 86% of Wisconsin towns. 94.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Seneca | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $221,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | — | $951 |
| Median household income | $86,779 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Seneca
| People | Seneca | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Seneca
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 7.7°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.8 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seneca since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on December 1, 1970 about 8.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 5.50 inches on June 7, 2007.
Severe weather in Wood County since 1996
Wood County has been included in 13 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 |
| October 21, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wood County
Wood County had 36,183 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,502 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Seneca itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Towns near Seneca
- Sigel, WI5.5 mi · 1,017 people · home $209,900
- Vesper, WI5.6 mi · 513 people · home $120,700
- Hansen, WI6.0 mi · 747 people · home $241,000
- Port Edwards, WI6.0 mi · 1,762 people · home $158,600
- Wisconsin Rapids, WI6.4 mi · 18,877 people · home $131,900
- Nekoosa, WI6.5 mi · 2,449 people · home $116,900
- Port Edwards, WI8.0 mi · 1,356 people · home $167,900
- Pittsville, WI9.4 mi · 813 people · home $125,000
Seneca questions
Is Seneca, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Seneca scores better for retirees than 11% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 23%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.0).
How much does a house cost in Seneca?
The median owner-occupied home in Seneca is valued at $221,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,779, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Seneca?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 7.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 47.8 inches of snow.
Does Seneca get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seneca since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on December 1, 1970. 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)