The Town FilesSpooner, Wisconsin
City in Washburn County · population 2,477 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $165,500
- Household income
- $44,737
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 52.3
Spooner is a city of 2,477 people in Washburn County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $165,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 91% of Wisconsin towns.
How Spooner 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 Spooner is worth $165,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $44,737, which is more affordable than 23% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $763 a month. 56.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spooner | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $165,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $763 | $951 |
| Median household income | $44,737 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 56.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.4% | — |
Who lives in Spooner
| People | Spooner | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Spooner
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 0.9°F. About 31.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spooner since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 18, 2001 about 7.1 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 25 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 7, 2005.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 10, 2011.
Severe weather in Washburn County since 1996
Washburn 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 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms 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 Washburn County
Washburn County had 5,523 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,282 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Spooner itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Spooner
3 public schools with 998 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spooner High | 9-12 | 374 | 15.6 |
| Spooner Elementary | PK-4 | 366 | 12.2 |
| Spooner Middle | 5-8 | 258 | 10.8 |
Towns near Spooner
- Spooner, WI3.2 mi · 827 people · home $270,300
- Evergreen, WI4.6 mi · 1,191 people · home $190,700
- Beaver Brook, WI4.9 mi · 795 people · home $231,100
- Bashaw, WI5.7 mi · 1,079 people · home $254,600
- Trego, WI6.8 mi · 908 people · home $239,000
- Shell Lake, WI7.0 mi · 1,371 people · home $229,400
- Madge, WI7.7 mi · 532 people · home $319,300
- Dewey, WI10.1 mi · 545 people · home $219,100
Spooner questions
Is Spooner, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spooner scores better for retirees than 91% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 43%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.3).
How much does a house cost in Spooner?
The median owner-occupied home in Spooner is valued at $165,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,737, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $763 a month.
What is the weather like in Spooner?
July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 0.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.6 inches of precipitation a year and 55.7 inches of snow.
Does Spooner get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spooner since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 18, 2001. 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)