The Town FilesWaupun, Wisconsin
City in Dodge County · population 11,344 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $188,600
- Household income
- $65,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 39.5
Waupun is a city of 11,344 people in Dodge County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $188,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 94% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
How Waupun 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 Waupun is worth $188,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $65,625, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $951 a month. 66.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waupun | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $188,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $951 | $951 |
| Median household income | $65,625 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 66.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Waupun
| People | Waupun | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Waupun
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 8.2°F. About 37.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waupun since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on July 18, 1996 about 7.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 45 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 14, 1991.
Severe weather in Dodge County since 1996
Dodge 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 |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Dodge County
Dodge County had 36,662 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,552 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Waupun itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Waupun
6 public schools with 1,788 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock River Intermediate | 2-6 | 584 | 13.3 |
| Waupun Area Senior High | 9-12 | 571 | 15.4 |
| Meadow View Primary | PK-1 | 333 | 15.1 |
| Waupun Area Junior High | 7-8 | 297 | 15.6 |
| Waupun Correctional Institution | 12-12 | 3 | 3.0 |
| John C Burke Correctional Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Waupun
- Fox Lake, WI10.2 mi · 2,588 people · home $364,200
- Beaver Dam, WI11.7 mi · 16,708 people · home $201,900
- Mayville, WI13.2 mi · 5,196 people · home $193,000
- Beaver Dam, WI13.5 mi · 4,062 people · home $261,400
- Horicon, WI13.8 mi · 3,767 people · home $172,500
- Lomira, WI14.9 mi · 2,678 people · home $235,400
- Ripon, WI15.5 mi · 7,863 people · home $174,900
- Juneau, WI15.9 mi · 2,658 people · home $186,700
Waupun questions
Is Waupun, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waupun scores better for retirees than 11% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 8%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Waupun?
The median owner-occupied home in Waupun is valued at $188,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,625, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $951 a month.
What is the weather like in Waupun?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 8.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.8 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Waupun get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waupun since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on July 18, 1996. 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)