The Town FilesKaukauna, Wisconsin
City in Outagamie County · population 17,089 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $225,700
- Household income
- $80,365
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 38.6
Kaukauna is a city of 17,089 people in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $225,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 96% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 95% of Wisconsin towns, more of a college town than 93% of Wisconsin towns.
How Kaukauna 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 Kaukauna is worth $225,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $80,365, which is more affordable than 74% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,083 a month. 71.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kaukauna | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,083 | $951 |
| Median household income | $80,365 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 71.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Kaukauna
| People | Kaukauna | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 89.1% |
Weather in Kaukauna
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
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kaukauna since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 27, 1984 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 114 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 Kaukauna itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Kaukauna
7 public schools with 4,046 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaukauna High | 9-12 | 1,260 | 16.6 |
| River View School | 5-8 | 1,106 | 14.2 |
| Dr H B Tanner Elementary | PK-1 | 515 | 16.6 |
| Quinney Elementary | 2-4 | 362 | 15.7 |
| Haen Elementary | 1-4 | 291 | 11.2 |
| New Directions Learning Community (charter) | PK-4 | 260 | 17.3 |
| Park Community Charter School (charter) | PK-4 | 252 | 15.8 |
Towns near Kaukauna
- Buchanan, WI1.5 mi · 6,857 people · home $335,400
- Combined Locks, WI2.3 mi · 3,634 people · home $246,000
- Little Chute, WI2.9 mi · 11,619 people · home $245,800
- Kimberly, WI3.7 mi · 7,320 people · home $228,100
- Wrightstown, WI5.6 mi · 3,179 people · home $285,400
- Harrison, WI6.0 mi · 12,418 people · home $348,500
- Appleton, WI6.1 mi · 75,644 people · home $231,400
- Sherwood, WI6.9 mi · 3,271 people · home $351,200
Kaukauna questions
Is Kaukauna, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kaukauna scores better for retirees than 9% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 4%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Kaukauna?
The median owner-occupied home in Kaukauna is valued at $225,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,365, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,083 a month.
What is the weather like in Kaukauna?
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 Kaukauna get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kaukauna 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)