The Town Files

Tomah, Wisconsin

Town in Monroe County · population 1,488 (2020 Census)

Map: where Tomah is in WisconsinTomah
Median home
$312,400
Household income
$98,345
Jan low / Jul high
6° / 82°
Snow a year
45 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
13
Median age
38.6

Tomah is a town of 1,488 people in Monroe County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $312,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000).

How Tomah 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.

Tomah lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement21st pctFamilies35th pctQuiet31st pctWalkability67th pctFirst-time buyers55th pctYoung professionals61st pctVibrancy52nd pctHip & trendy50th pctCollege town39th pctUpscale38th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling64th pctTransit63rd pctDriving29th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Tomah is worth $312,400, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $98,345, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,014 a month. 86.5% of households own their home.

Tomah vs Monroe County vs typical Wisconsin townTomahMonroe CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$312,400$210,000$256,000Household income$98,345$69,467$82,217Monthly rent$1,014$914$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingTomahTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$312,400$256,000
Median rent$1,014$951
Median household income$98,345$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.1×
Homeownership86.5%86.8%
Median year built19911978
Seasonal / vacation homes5.5%—

Who lives in Tomah

PeopleTomahTypical Wisconsin town
Median age38.645.1
Age 65 and over16.3%21.0%
Under 1834.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher26.1%23.8%
Below the poverty line6.1%7.2%
Veterans12.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.6%—
Work from home8.9%10.9%
Average commute18.4 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband87.5%89.1%

Weather in Tomah

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.

Tomah monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing25°6°Jan30°9°Feb42°21°Mar56°33°Apr68°45°May78°56°Jun82°59°Jul80°57°Aug72°48°Sep59°36°Oct43°24°Nov30°13°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.111.91.19.81.87.43.72.74.65.34.14.33.72.60.22.03.11.310.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Sparta station (16.1 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tomah since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 15, 2022 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Tomah by decade01950s21960s21970s11980s01990s22000s22010s42020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on June 1, 2000.

Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996

Storm events in Monroe County since 1996 by typeHail167Flood16Drought17Tornado14Heavy Rain14Heavy Snow19Flash Flood18Winter Storm63
NOAA Storm Events Database, Monroe County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 8 deaths recorded.

Monroe County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
August 27, 2019FloodDR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
October 18, 2018FloodDR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides
October 7, 2017Severe StormDR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud

Jobs and pay in Monroe County

Monroe County had 21,455 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,839 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Tomah itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.

Largest industries in Monroe CountyManufacturing4,052 jobs · $58,031Health care & social assistan…2,370 jobs · $52,215Retail2,164 jobs · $30,804Transportation & warehousing2,098 jobs · $64,913Hotels & restaurants1,635 jobs · $19,899Construction724 jobs · $71,185
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Monroe County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Monroe 2.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Tomah

1 public school with 79 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Oakdale ElementaryPK-17913.2

Towns near Tomah

Tomah questions

Is Tomah, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tomah scores better for retirees than 21% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 31%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).

How much does a house cost in Tomah?

The median owner-occupied home in Tomah is valued at $312,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,345, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,014 a month.

What is the weather like in Tomah?

July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 45.3 inches of snow.

Does Tomah get tornadoes?

13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tomah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 15, 2022. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Tomah's Census boundary (GEOID 5508180100). Comparisons use the median of Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.