The Town FilesFond du Lac, Wisconsin
City in Fond du Lac County · population 44,678 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,700
- Household income
- $62,260
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 36.9
Fond du Lac is a city of 44,678 people in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $173,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 98% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 94% of Wisconsin towns.
How Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac is worth $173,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $62,260, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $913 a month. 58.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fond du Lac | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $913 | $951 |
| Median household income | $62,260 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 58.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Fond du Lac
| People | Fond du Lac | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 89.1% |
Weather in Fond du Lac
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.5°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fond du Lac since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on July 18, 1996 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on July 1, 2026.
Severe weather in Fond du Lac County since 1996
Fond du Lac County has been included in 12 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 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Fond du Lac County
Fond du Lac County had 45,047 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,238 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Fond du Lac itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Fond du Lac
16 public schools with 6,421 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fond du Lac High | 9-12 | 1,928 | 16.9 |
| Theisen Middle | 6-8 | 465 | 14.5 |
| Sabish Middle | 6-8 | 411 | 12.1 |
| Waters Elementary | PK-5 | 393 | 14.6 |
| Woodworth Middle | 6-8 | 377 | 12.2 |
| Rosenow Elementary | PK-5 | 377 | 15.1 |
| Lakeshore Elementary | PK-5 | 368 | 15.3 |
| Roberts Elementary | PK-5 | 320 | 12.3 |
| Parkside Elementary | PK-5 | 289 | 11.1 |
| Chegwin Elementary | PK-5 | 285 | 11.9 |
| Evans Elementary | PK-5 | 282 | 11.8 |
| Riverside Elementary | PK-5 | 282 | 10.4 |
Towns near Fond du Lac
- North Fond du Lac, WI3.5 mi · 5,378 people · home $155,100
- Empire, WI5.2 mi · 2,774 people · home $378,600
- Friendship, WI5.7 mi · 2,748 people · home $236,100
- Taycheedah, WI6.7 mi · 4,554 people · home $354,000
- Lomira, WI12.3 mi · 2,678 people · home $235,400
- Waupun, WI17.7 mi · 11,344 people · home $188,600
- Oshkosh, WI18.4 mi · 66,816 people · home $177,700
- Mayville, WI19.7 mi · 5,196 people · home $193,000
Fond du Lac questions
Is Fond du Lac, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fond du Lac scores better for retirees than 3% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 1%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Fond du Lac?
The median owner-occupied home in Fond du Lac is valued at $173,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,260, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $913 a month.
What is the weather like in Fond du Lac?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 11.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38.0 inches of snow.
Does Fond du Lac get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fond du Lac since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on July 18, 1996. 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)