The Town FilesSister Bay, Wisconsin
Village in Door County · population 1,148 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $392,200
- Household income
- $71,169
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 62 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 61.0
Sister Bay is a village of 1,148 people in Door County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $392,200, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 99% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 99% of Wisconsin towns.
How Sister Bay 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 Sister Bay is worth $392,200, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $71,169, which is more affordable than 1% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,168 a month. 50.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sister Bay | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $392,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,168 | $951 |
| Median household income | $71,169 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 50.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 50.4% | — |
Who lives in Sister Bay
| People | Sister Bay | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 46.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 12.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Sister Bay
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 12.0°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sister Bay since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 9, 2025 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 26, 1998.
Severe weather in Door County since 1996
Door County has been included in 6 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 24, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3163: Snow |
| June 17, 1976 | Drought | EM-3014: Drought |
Jobs and pay in Door County
Door County had 14,223 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,594 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Sister Bay itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Towns near Sister Bay
- Gibraltar, WI7.0 mi · 1,228 people · home $498,500
- Baileys Harbor, WI7.6 mi · 1,223 people · home $407,300
- Liberty Grove, WI9.4 mi · 2,096 people · home $419,200
- Jacksonport, WI11.8 mi · 878 people · home $401,700
- Sevastopol, WI17.9 mi · 2,826 people · home $430,200
- Egg Harbor, WI18.9 mi · 1,458 people · home $411,800
- Ingallston, MI20.4 mi · 924 people · home $252,100
- Washington, WI21.1 mi · 777 people · home $322,200
Sister Bay questions
Is Sister Bay, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sister Bay scores better for retirees than 100% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 76%. 46.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.0).
How much does a house cost in Sister Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Sister Bay is valued at $392,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,169, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,168 a month.
What is the weather like in Sister Bay?
July highs average 79.6°F and January lows 12.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 61.6 inches of snow.
Does Sister Bay get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sister Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 9, 2025. 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)