The Town Files

York, Wisconsin

Town in Dane County · population 697 (2020 Census)

Map: where York is in WisconsinYork
Median home
$405,000
Household income
$121,667
Jan low / Jul high
11° / 82°
Snow a year
44 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
17
Median age
36.9

York is a town of 697 people in Dane County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $405,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 72% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 72% of Wisconsin towns.

How York 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.

York lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement19th pctFamilies30th pctQuiet21st pctWalkability37th pctFirst-time buyers71st pctYoung professionals71st pctVibrancy53rd pctHip & trendy5th pctCollege town94th pctUpscale72nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling57th pctTransit72nd pctDriving44th 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 York is worth $405,000, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $121,667, which is more affordable than 43% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,716 a month. 84.3% of households own their home.

York vs Dane County vs typical Wisconsin townYorkDane CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$405,000$394,800$256,000Household income$121,667$89,975$82,217Monthly rent$1,716$1,398$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingYorkTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$405,000$256,000
Median rent$1,716$951
Median household income$121,667$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.3×3.1×
Homeownership84.3%86.8%
Median year built19771978
Seasonal / vacation homes3.0%—

Who lives in York

PeopleYorkTypical Wisconsin town
Median age36.945.1
Age 65 and over14.9%21.0%
Under 1822.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.5%23.8%
Below the poverty line16.8%7.2%
Veterans5.2%—
Born outside the U.S.5.0%—
Work from home13.6%10.9%
Average commute28.9 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband92.9%89.1%

Weather in York

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 38.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.5 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.

York monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°11°Jan31°14°Feb43°24°Mar57°35°Apr69°46°May79°57°Jun82°61°Jul81°59°Aug73°50°Sep61°38°Oct45°28°Nov33°18°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.411.41.611.32.05.43.92.14.20.15.64.44.13.93.00.32.42.21.810.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Waterloo Wwtp station (5.6 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of York since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 4, 1975 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of York by decade01950s11960s21970s51980s01990s32000s32010s32020s
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 57 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 3, 1977.

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 York itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

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 York

York questions

Is York, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, York scores better for retirees than 19% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 21%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).

How much does a house cost in York?

The median owner-occupied home in York is valued at $405,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $121,667, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,716 a month.

What is the weather like in York?

July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.5 inches of snow.

Does York get tornadoes?

17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of York since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 4, 1975. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to York's Census boundary (GEOID 5502589450). 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.