The Town FilesWestby, Wisconsin
City in Vernon County · population 2,332 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,200
- Household income
- $72,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 43.6
Westby is a city of 2,332 people in Vernon County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $174,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 82% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 81% of Wisconsin towns.
How Westby 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 Westby is worth $174,200, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $72,875, which is more affordable than 90% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $993 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Westby | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,200 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $993 | $951 |
| Median household income | $72,875 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Westby
| People | Westby | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Westby
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 43.0 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
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westby since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 5, 1980 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Vernon County since 1996
Vernon County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Vernon County
Vernon County had 8,718 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,085 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Westby itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Westby
3 public schools with 866 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westby High | 9-12 | 297 | 12.9 |
| Westby Middle | 5-8 | 294 | 12.8 |
| Westby Elementary | PK-4 | 275 | 12.0 |
Towns near Westby
- Christiana, WI2.0 mi · 993 people · home $359,300
- Viroqua, WI5.9 mi · 1,744 people · home $275,700
- Clinton, WI6.3 mi · 1,374 people · home $347,900
- Viroqua, WI6.5 mi · 4,504 people · home $209,900
- Coon, WI6.7 mi · 729 people · home $360,700
- Webster, WI7.0 mi · 821 people · home $225,000
- Cashton, WI7.1 mi · 1,158 people · home $140,800
- Jefferson, WI7.6 mi · 1,270 people · home $243,300
Westby questions
Is Westby, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Westby scores better for retirees than 81% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 76%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Westby?
The median owner-occupied home in Westby is valued at $174,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,875, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $993 a month.
What is the weather like in Westby?
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 43.0 inches of snow.
Does Westby get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westby 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)