The Town FilesCenter, Wisconsin
Town in Outagamie County · population 3,622 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $354,500
- Household income
- $114,821
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 49.8
Center is a town of 3,622 people in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $354,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for families than 98% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 95% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Center 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 Center is worth $354,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $114,821, which is more affordable than 55% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,094 a month. 95.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Center | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $354,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,094 | $951 |
| Median household income | $114,821 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 95.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Center
| People | Center | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 17.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Center
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 10.0°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 27, 1984 about 2.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 118 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 108 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on September 7, 2021.
Severe weather in Outagamie County since 1996
Outagamie County has been included in 12 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 |
| 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 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Outagamie County
Outagamie County had 108,592 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,834 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Center itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Center
- Ellington, WI5.5 mi · 3,174 people · home $352,000
- Grand Chute, WI5.7 mi · 23,831 people · home $294,700
- Freedom, WI6.4 mi · 6,216 people · home $333,000
- Appleton, WI7.2 mi · 75,644 people · home $231,400
- Little Chute, WI8.3 mi · 11,619 people · home $245,800
- Kimberly, WI9.1 mi · 7,320 people · home $228,100
- Hortonville, WI10.1 mi · 3,028 people · home $263,900
- Combined Locks, WI10.3 mi · 3,634 people · home $246,000
Center questions
Is Center, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Center scores better for retirees than 38% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 46%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Center is valued at $354,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $114,821, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,094 a month.
What is the weather like in Center?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 10.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 49.4 inches of snow.
Does Center get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 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)