The Town FilesDelavan Lake, Wisconsin
Community in Walworth County · population 2,803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $355,500
- Household income
- $83,550
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 49.8
Delavan Lake is a community of 2,803 people in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $355,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of Wisconsin towns.
How Delavan Lake 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 Delavan Lake is worth $355,500, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $83,550, which is more affordable than 8% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $913 a month. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Delavan Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $355,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $913 | $951 |
| Median household income | $83,550 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 57.3% | — |
Who lives in Delavan Lake
| People | Delavan Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 13.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Delavan Lake
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 36.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.8 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Delavan Lake 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 9.8 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 40 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 Delavan Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Towns near Delavan Lake
- Delavan, WI2.2 mi · 8,505 people · home $218,800
- Delavan, WI2.6 mi · 5,273 people · home $302,700
- Williams Bay, WI4.3 mi · 2,953 people · home $444,700
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, WI4.7 mi · 3,120 people · home $572,600
- Walworth, WI5.0 mi · 2,759 people · home $290,600
- Elkhorn, WI6.7 mi · 10,247 people · home $273,600
- Geneva, WI7.4 mi · 5,390 people · home $382,400
- Sugar Creek, WI8.2 mi · 3,902 people · home $330,200
Delavan Lake questions
Is Delavan Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Delavan Lake scores better for retirees than 62% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 47%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Delavan Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Delavan Lake is valued at $355,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,550, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $913 a month.
What is the weather like in Delavan Lake?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.7 inches of precipitation a year and 36.8 inches of snow.
Does Delavan Lake get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Delavan Lake 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)