The Town FilesWinter, Wisconsin
Town in Sawyer County · population 1,000 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $221,800
- Household income
- $72,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 61.3
Winter is a town of 1,000 people in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $221,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 96% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
How Winter 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 Winter is worth $221,800, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $72,250, which is more affordable than 55% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 96.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winter | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $221,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $951 |
| Median household income | $72,250 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 96.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 64.4% | — |
Who lives in Winter
| People | Winter | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 38.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 7.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Winter
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 1.6°F. About 35.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winter since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 4, 1958 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 26, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Sawyer County since 1996
Sawyer County has been included in 9 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 |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sawyer County
Sawyer County had 7,250 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,406 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Winter itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Winter
- Hunter, WI17.9 mi · 779 people · home $291,700
- Dewey, WI18.1 mi · 542 people · home $221,300
- Elk, WI18.8 mi · 960 people · home $246,200
- Lake, WI19.2 mi · 1,106 people · home $222,300
- Flambeau, WI20.2 mi · 987 people · home $166,100
- Round Lake, WI22.8 mi · 1,081 people · home $397,600
- Ladysmith, WI22.9 mi · 3,216 people · home $124,200
- Phillips, WI23.8 mi · 1,533 people · home $103,300
Winter questions
Is Winter, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winter scores better for retirees than 95% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 96%. 38.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.3).
How much does a house cost in Winter?
The median owner-occupied home in Winter is valued at $221,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,250, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Winter?
July highs average 77.7°F and January lows 1.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.2 inches of precipitation a year and 57.3 inches of snow.
Does Winter get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 4, 1958. 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)