The Town FilesWilliams Bay, Wisconsin
Village in Walworth County · population 2,953 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $444,700
- Household income
- $84,113
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 45.9
Williams Bay is a village of 2,953 people in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $444,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 100% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 99% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 99% of Wisconsin towns.
How Williams Bay 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 Williams Bay is worth $444,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $84,113, which is more affordable than 2% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williams Bay | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $444,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $900 | $951 |
| Median household income | $84,113 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 39.3% | — |
Who lives in Williams Bay
| People | Williams Bay | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.8% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 18.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Williams Bay
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 15.1°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williams Bay since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on January 7, 2008 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 2, 2018.
Severe weather in Walworth County since 1996
Walworth 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 Walworth County
Walworth County had 45,268 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,949 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Williams Bay itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Williams Bay
3 public schools with 619 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Bay Elementary | PK-5 | 296 | 12.9 |
| Williams Bay High | 9-12 | 180 | 12.9 |
| Williams Bay Middle | 6-8 | 143 | 11.9 |
Towns near Williams Bay
- Delavan, WI2.3 mi · 5,273 people · home $302,700
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, WI2.7 mi · 3,120 people · home $572,600
- Walworth, WI4.1 mi · 2,759 people · home $290,600
- Delavan Lake, WI4.3 mi · 2,803 people · home $355,500
- Linn, WI4.4 mi · 2,687 people · home $537,100
- Geneva, WI4.5 mi · 5,390 people · home $382,400
- Delavan, WI5.6 mi · 8,505 people · home $218,800
- Lake Geneva, WI6.1 mi · 8,277 people · home $343,800
Williams Bay questions
Is Williams Bay, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williams Bay scores better for retirees than 99% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 15%. 27.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Williams Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Williams Bay is valued at $444,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,113, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Williams Bay?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 15.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 40.1 inches of snow.
Does Williams Bay get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williams Bay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on January 7, 2008. 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)