The Town Files

Westport, Wisconsin

Town in Dane County · population 4,191 (2020 Census)

Map: where Westport is in WisconsinWestport
Median home
$418,700
Household income
$83,750
Jan low / Jul high
12° / 82°
Snow a year
52 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
29
Median age
51.7

Westport is a town of 4,191 people in Dane County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $418,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more upscale than 99% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 98% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 96% of Wisconsin towns.

Westport in our rankings:

How Westport 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.

Westport lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement96th pctFamilies33rd pctQuiet16th pctWalkability62nd pctFirst-time buyers57th pctYoung professionals98th pctVibrancy80th pctHip & trendy84th pctCollege town50th pctUpscale99th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling92nd pctTransit95th pctDriving14th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Westport is worth $418,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $83,750, which is more affordable than 3% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,194 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.

Westport vs Dane County vs typical Wisconsin townWestportDane CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$418,700$394,800$256,000Household income$83,750$89,975$82,217Monthly rent$1,194$1,398$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingWestportTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$418,700$256,000
Median rent$1,194$951
Median household income$83,750$82,217
Home value ÷ income5.0×3.1×
Homeownership74.6%86.8%
Median year built19911978
Seasonal / vacation homes1.6%—

Who lives in Westport

PeopleWestportTypical Wisconsin town
Median age51.745.1
Age 65 and over34.5%21.0%
Under 1818.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher48.2%23.8%
Below the poverty line4.2%7.2%
Veterans10.3%—
Born outside the U.S.4.2%—
Work from home20.5%10.9%
Average commute21.6 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband88.3%89.1%

Weather in Westport

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.8 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.

Westport monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°12°Jan31°15°Feb44°25°Mar57°36°Apr69°47°May79°57°Jun82°62°Jul80°60°Aug73°51°Sep60°40°Oct45°29°Nov32°18°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.513.71.512.82.37.03.82.64.10.15.34.54.23.42.80.62.23.01.612.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Madison Dane Rgnl Ap station (4.5 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westport since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 8.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 7, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Westport by decade11950s61960s21970s61980s21990s62000s62010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 191 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 14, 2026.

Severe weather in Dane County since 1996

Storm events in Dane County since 1996 by typeHail484Heat37Flood36Tornado45Dense Fog67Lightning54Heavy Rain33Flash Flood47
NOAA Storm Events Database, Dane County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 27 deaths recorded.

Dane County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
October 18, 2018FloodDR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides
April 5, 2011SnowstormDR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
June 14, 2008Severe StormDR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Dane County

Dane County had 359,249 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,481 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Westport itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.

Largest industries in Dane CountyHealth care & social assistan…42,450 jobs · $74,523Retail29,993 jobs · $38,610Hotels & restaurants28,299 jobs · $24,526Professional & technical serv…26,499 jobs · $104,014Manufacturing26,318 jobs · $77,670Information19,267 jobs · $142,042
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Dane County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Dane 2.3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Westport

Westport questions

Is Westport, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Westport scores better for retirees than 96% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 16%. 34.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.7).

How much does a house cost in Westport?

The median owner-occupied home in Westport is valued at $418,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,750, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,194 a month.

What is the weather like in Westport?

July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 51.8 inches of snow.

Does Westport get tornadoes?

29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Westport since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Westport's Census boundary (GEOID 5502586125). Comparisons use the median of Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.