The Town FilesWabeno, Wisconsin
Town in Forest County · population 1,074 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,800
- Household income
- $61,477
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 61 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 36.9
Wabeno is a town of 1,074 people in Forest County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $178,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 92% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 81% of Wisconsin towns.
How Wabeno 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 Wabeno is worth $178,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $61,477, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $663 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wabeno | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $663 | $951 |
| Median household income | $61,477 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 39.2% | — |
Who lives in Wabeno
| People | Wabeno | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Wabeno
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 4.3°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 188 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wabeno since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 16, 1972 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 16, 1972.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 8, 2000.
Severe weather in Forest County since 1996
Forest County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Tornado | DR-4949: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Forest County
Forest County had 3,244 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,541 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Wabeno itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Wabeno
2 public schools with 371 students, about 10.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabeno Elementary | PK-5 | 198 | 11.6 |
| Wabeno High | 6-12 | 173 | 8.7 |
Towns near Wabeno
- Lakewood, WI8.9 mi · 831 people · home $234,200
- Townsend, WI9.0 mi · 1,044 people · home $252,900
- Laona, WI10.1 mi · 519 people · home $128,100
- Laona, WI10.7 mi · 1,215 people · home $191,800
- Silver Cliff, WI10.8 mi · 514 people · home $228,800
- Riverview, WI14.6 mi · 819 people · home $191,100
- Goodman, WI17.0 mi · 607 people · home $119,100
- Wolf River, WI17.0 mi · 783 people · home $193,200
Wabeno questions
Is Wabeno, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wabeno scores better for retirees than 64% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 89%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Wabeno?
The median owner-occupied home in Wabeno is valued at $178,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,477, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $663 a month.
What is the weather like in Wabeno?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 4.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 61.1 inches of snow.
Does Wabeno get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Wabeno since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 16, 1972. 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)