The Town FilesOconto, Wisconsin
City in Oconto County · population 4,609 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,700
- Household income
- $61,506
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 50.7
Oconto is a city of 4,609 people in Oconto County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $148,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 75% of Wisconsin towns.
How Oconto 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 Oconto is worth $148,700, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $61,506, which is more affordable than 90% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $785 a month. 62.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oconto | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $785 | $951 |
| Median household income | $61,506 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 62.7% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Oconto
| People | Oconto | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Oconto
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oconto since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1979 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 23, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 29, 1998.
Severe weather in Oconto County since 1996
Oconto County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 17, 1976 | Drought | EM-3014: Drought |
Jobs and pay in Oconto County
Oconto County had 9,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,685 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Oconto itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Oconto
4 public schools with 938 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oconto Elementary | PK-4 | 354 | 12.6 |
| Oconto Middle | 5-8 | 300 | 14.3 |
| Oconto High | 9-12 | 265 | 13.3 |
| Northeast Wisconsin Learning Academy | 5-12 | 19 | 19.0 |
Towns near Oconto
- Peshtigo, WI12.3 mi · 4,006 people · home $213,700
- Peshtigo, WI12.9 mi · 3,420 people · home $140,300
- Oconto Falls, WI13.3 mi · 2,957 people · home $162,800
- Little Suamico, WI15.7 mi · 5,536 people · home $327,500
- Marinette, WI17.7 mi · 11,119 people · home $120,200
- Menominee, MI19.9 mi · 8,488 people · home $104,400
- Chase, WI20.0 mi · 3,178 people · home $303,400
- Suamico, WI20.1 mi · 12,820 people · home $366,900
Oconto questions
Is Oconto, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oconto scores better for retirees than 32% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 38%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.7).
How much does a house cost in Oconto?
The median owner-occupied home in Oconto is valued at $148,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,506, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $785 a month.
What is the weather like in Oconto?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 51.5 inches of snow.
Does Oconto get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oconto since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1979. 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)