The Town Files

Dodgeville, Wisconsin

City in Iowa County · population 4,984 (2020 Census)

Map: where Dodgeville is in WisconsinDodgeville
Median home
$242,600
Household income
$72,288
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 81°
Snow a year
41 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
21
Median age
38.6

Dodgeville is a city of 4,984 people in Iowa County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $242,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 89% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 87% of Wisconsin towns.

Dodgeville in our rankings:

How Dodgeville 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.

Dodgeville lifestyle rankings vs other Wisconsin townsRetirement42nd pctFamilies12th pctQuiet15th pctWalkability87th pctFirst-time buyers94th pctYoung professionals86th pctVibrancy89th pctHip & trendy86th pctCollege town55th pctUpscale59th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling84th pctTransitbottomDriving8th 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 Dodgeville is worth $242,600, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $72,288, which is more affordable than 37% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $999 a month. 63.2% of households own their home.

Dodgeville vs Iowa County vs typical Wisconsin townDodgevilleIowa CountyTypical Wisconsin townHome value$242,600$265,000$256,000Household income$72,288$82,182$82,217Monthly rent$999$954$951
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Wisconsin towns with 500+ people.
HousingDodgevilleTypical Wisconsin town
Median home value$242,600$256,000
Median rent$999$951
Median household income$72,288$82,217
Home value ÷ income3.4×3.1×
Homeownership63.2%86.8%
Median year built19741978
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Dodgeville

PeopleDodgevilleTypical Wisconsin town
Median age38.645.1
Age 65 and over19.7%21.0%
Under 1820.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher31.8%23.8%
Below the poverty line6.3%7.2%
Veterans4.5%—
Born outside the U.S.2.6%—
Work from home15.6%10.9%
Average commute29.5 min24.6 min
Homes with broadband93.2%89.1%

Weather in Dodgeville

July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.

Dodgeville monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing26°9°Jan31°12°Feb43°23°Mar57°34°Apr68°46°May78°56°Jun81°60°Jul80°58°Aug72°49°Sep59°38°Oct44°26°Nov31°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.410.31.510.62.35.93.91.54.65.74.74.43.73.10.62.51.91.810.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Dodgeville Wwtp station (0.8 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dodgeville since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 7.6 miles from the town center and killed 9. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 201 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Dodgeville by decade11950s31960s01970s41980s01990s42000s22010s72020s
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 30 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 13, 2006.

Severe weather in Iowa County since 1996

Storm events in Iowa County since 1996 by typeHail85Heat37Drought18Tornado19Dense Fog73Flash Flood15Strong Wind29Winter Storm42
NOAA Storm Events Database, Iowa County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Iowa County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 30, 2026FloodDR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 4, 2020BiologicalDR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3454: Covid-19
October 7, 2017Severe StormDR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud
August 8, 2013Severe StormDR-4141: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides

Jobs and pay in Iowa County

Iowa County had 10,688 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,369 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Dodgeville itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.

Largest industries in Iowa CountyRetail2,881 jobs · $48,619Manufacturing2,177 jobs · $71,054Hotels & restaurants604 jobs · $16,766Wholesale trade484 jobs · $80,467Construction426 jobs · $60,775Arts & recreation361 jobs · $29,235
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Iowa County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Iowa 2.6%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Dodgeville

3 public schools with 1,060 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Dodgeville ElementaryPK-437910.5
Dodgeville High9-1237112.8
Dodgeville Middle5-831010.7

Towns near Dodgeville

Dodgeville questions

Is Dodgeville, Wisconsin a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dodgeville scores better for retirees than 42% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 15%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).

How much does a house cost in Dodgeville?

The median owner-occupied home in Dodgeville is valued at $242,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,288, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $999 a month.

What is the weather like in Dodgeville?

July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.

Does Dodgeville get tornadoes?

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dodgeville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 1984. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Dodgeville's Census boundary (GEOID 5520350). 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.