The Town FilesWhitelaw, Wisconsin
Village in Manitowoc County · population 737 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,800
- Household income
- $57,027
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 46.3
Whitelaw is a village of 737 people in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $182,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 91% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 83% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 79% of Wisconsin towns.
How Whitelaw 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 Whitelaw is worth $182,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $57,027, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $950 a month. 71.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whitelaw | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $950 | $951 |
| Median household income | $57,027 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 71.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Whitelaw
| People | Whitelaw | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Whitelaw
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.2 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitelaw since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 5, 1994 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 1, 2006.
Severe weather in Manitowoc County since 1996
Manitowoc County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County had 33,444 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,550 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Whitelaw itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Towns near Whitelaw
- Cato, WI2.9 mi · 1,621 people · home $272,100
- Manitowoc Rapids, WI4.2 mi · 2,114 people · home $253,400
- Kossuth, WI5.4 mi · 1,969 people · home $264,700
- Reedsville, WI6.2 mi · 1,195 people · home $167,200
- Valders, WI6.2 mi · 952 people · home $170,500
- Francis Creek, WI6.4 mi · 659 people · home $235,900
- Manitowoc, WI7.7 mi · 1,076 people · home $256,900
- Manitowoc, WI8.1 mi · 34,626 people · home $160,700
Whitelaw questions
Is Whitelaw, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitelaw scores better for retirees than 22% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 62%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
How much does a house cost in Whitelaw?
The median owner-occupied home in Whitelaw is valued at $182,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,027, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $950 a month.
What is the weather like in Whitelaw?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 42.2 inches of snow.
Does Whitelaw get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitelaw since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 5, 1994. 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)