The Town FilesVance Creek, Wisconsin
Town in Barron County · population 689 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,500
- Household income
- $58,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 51.2
Vance Creek is a town of 689 people in Barron County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $231,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 86% of Wisconsin towns, better for families than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Vance Creek 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 Vance Creek is worth $231,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $58,750, which is more affordable than 16% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $989 a month. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vance Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $989 | $951 |
| Median household income | $58,750 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.2% | — |
Who lives in Vance Creek
| People | Vance Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Vance Creek
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.4°F. About 35.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vance Creek since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 30, 1977 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 29 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 21, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 16, 2017.
Severe weather in Barron County since 1996
Barron 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 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 Barron County
Barron County had 21,519 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,983 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Vance Creek itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Vance Creek
- New Haven, WI5.5 mi · 673 people · home $219,300
- Turtle Lake, WI5.9 mi · 640 people · home $259,600
- Prairie Farm, WI6.0 mi · 566 people · home $235,400
- Clear Lake, WI6.2 mi · 888 people · home $283,000
- Clayton, WI6.8 mi · 550 people · home $135,700
- Arland, WI8.5 mi · 712 people · home $196,300
- Clear Lake, WI8.8 mi · 1,099 people · home $198,700
- Forest, WI9.1 mi · 638 people · home $403,500
Vance Creek questions
Is Vance Creek, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vance Creek scores better for retirees than 67% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 86%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).
How much does a house cost in Vance Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Vance Creek is valued at $231,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,750, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $989 a month.
What is the weather like in Vance Creek?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.6 inches of precipitation a year and 51.2 inches of snow.
Does Vance Creek get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vance Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 30, 1977. 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)