The Town FilesWells, Wisconsin
Town in Monroe County · population 562 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,000
- Household income
- $75,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.2
Wells is a town of 562 people in Monroe County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $230,000, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Wells 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 Wells is worth $230,000, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $75,417, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. 92.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wells | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | — | $951 |
| Median household income | $75,417 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 92.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wells
| People | Wells | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Wells
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 8.1°F. About 36.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wells since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 8, 1988 about 0.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 6, 2011.
Severe weather in Monroe County since 1996
Monroe County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Monroe County
Monroe County had 21,455 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,839 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Wells itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Towns near Wells
- Angelo, WI4.4 mi · 1,697 people · home $211,600
- Norwalk, WI5.4 mi · 611 people · home $96,700
- Leon, WI6.0 mi · 1,144 people · home $282,200
- Jefferson, WI6.0 mi · 841 people · home $263,200
- Portland, WI6.9 mi · 833 people · home $350,000
- Sparta, WI7.0 mi · 10,025 people · home $180,600
- Sheldon, WI7.8 mi · 649 people · home $271,900
- Cashton, WI8.4 mi · 1,158 people · home $140,800
Wells questions
Is Wells, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wells scores better for retirees than 11% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 39%. 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Wells?
The median owner-occupied home in Wells is valued at $230,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,417, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Wells?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 8.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.7 inches of precipitation a year and 54.5 inches of snow.
Does Wells get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wells since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 8, 1988. 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)