The Town FilesViola, Wisconsin
Village in Richland County · population 676 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $103,900
- Household income
- $88,214
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 44.4
Viola is a village of 676 people in Richland County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $103,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 76% of Wisconsin towns.
How Viola 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 Viola is worth $103,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 1.2 times the median household income of $88,214, which is more affordable than 100% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,051 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Viola | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,051 | $951 |
| Median household income | $88,214 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1950 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Viola
| People | Viola | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in Viola
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Viola since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 5, 1980 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 15, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 24, 1984.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 19 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 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 5,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,821 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Viola itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Viola
2 public schools with 470 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo High | 6-12 | 258 | 12.9 |
| Kickapoo Elementary | PK-5 | 212 | 12.5 |
Towns near Viola
- Kickapoo, WI4.2 mi · 722 people · home $270,000
- La Farge, WI5.2 mi · 730 people · home $136,000
- Webster, WI7.0 mi · 821 people · home $225,000
- Sylvan, WI7.2 mi · 516 people · home $206,800
- Viroqua, WI8.9 mi · 1,744 people · home $275,700
- Bloom, WI9.2 mi · 538 people · home $231,300
- Soldiers Grove, WI9.4 mi · 552 people · home $158,300
- Union, WI10.8 mi · 809 people · home $192,900
Viola questions
Is Viola, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Viola scores better for retirees than 66% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 64%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Viola?
The median owner-occupied home in Viola is valued at $103,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,214, so homes cost about 1.2 times income. Median rent is $1,051 a month.
What is the weather like in Viola?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 46.2 inches of snow.
Does Viola get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Viola since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 5, 1980. 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)