The Town FilesWaterville, Wisconsin
Town in Pepin County · population 829 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,400
- Household income
- $75,061
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 46.2
Waterville is a town of 829 people in Pepin County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $217,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Waterville 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 Waterville is worth $217,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $75,061, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $927 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterville | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $927 | $951 |
| Median household income | $75,061 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 81.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.6% | — |
Who lives in Waterville
| People | Waterville | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Waterville
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 4.5°F. About 35.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 24, 1958 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 24, 2006.
Severe weather in Pepin County since 1996
Pepin County has been included in 13 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 11, 2001 | Flood | DR-1369: Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| July 24, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1236: Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And Floodi |
Jobs and pay in Pepin County
Pepin County had 2,463 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,655 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Waterville itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Towns near Waterville
- Durand, WI4.4 mi · 1,854 people · home $152,400
- Durand, WI5.7 mi · 710 people · home $240,600
- Eau Galle, WI6.7 mi · 765 people · home $243,600
- Plum City, WI7.1 mi · 596 people · home $168,400
- Union, WI7.8 mi · 602 people · home $209,800
- Dunn, WI10.1 mi · 1,473 people · home $262,900
- Lima, WI10.5 mi · 693 people · home $218,300
- Maiden Rock, WI10.7 mi · 591 people · home $322,200
Waterville questions
Is Waterville, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterville scores better for retirees than 20% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 88%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.2).
How much does a house cost in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterville is valued at $217,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,061, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $927 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterville?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 4.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.2 inches of precipitation a year and 41.4 inches of snow.
Does Waterville get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 24, 1958. 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)