The Town FilesArbor Vitae, Wisconsin
Town in Vilas County · population 3,403 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $280,600
- Household income
- $72,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 99 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 45.7
Arbor Vitae is a town of 3,403 people in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $280,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 90% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 88% of Wisconsin towns.
How Arbor Vitae 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 Arbor Vitae is worth $280,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $72,583, which is more affordable than 16% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $671 a month. 95.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arbor Vitae | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $671 | $951 |
| Median household income | $72,583 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 44.0% | — |
Who lives in Arbor Vitae
| People | Arbor Vitae | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Arbor Vitae
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 1.2°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 98.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 199 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arbor Vitae since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 27, 1984 about 5.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 1, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 16, 1997.
Severe weather in Vilas County since 1996
Vilas County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Tornado | DR-4949: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| August 16, 1999 | Flood | DR-1284: Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
Jobs and pay in Vilas County
Vilas County had 8,275 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,114 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Arbor Vitae itself the ACS puts it at 1.2%.
Public schools in Arbor Vitae
1 public school with 509 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbor Vitae-Woodruff Elementary | PK-8 | 509 | 11.3 |
Towns near Arbor Vitae
- Lac du Flambeau, WI9.3 mi · 3,552 people · home $340,900
- Minocqua, WI13.9 mi · 5,062 people · home $311,100
- Newbold, WI16.3 mi · 2,831 people · home $274,000
- Lincoln, WI21.5 mi · 2,659 people · home $290,600
- Pine Lake, WI23.9 mi · 2,724 people · home $272,000
- Rhinelander, WI26.2 mi · 8,285 people · home $125,700
Arbor Vitae questions
Is Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arbor Vitae scores better for retirees than 90% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 79%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Arbor Vitae?
The median owner-occupied home in Arbor Vitae is valued at $280,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,583, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $671 a month.
What is the weather like in Arbor Vitae?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows 1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 98.7 inches of snow.
Does Arbor Vitae get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arbor Vitae since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 27, 1984. 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)