The Town FilesPlover, Wisconsin
Village in Portage County · population 13,519 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $269,800
- Household income
- $88,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.0
Plover is a village of 13,519 people in Portage County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $269,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 92% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 86% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 83% of Wisconsin towns.
How Plover 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 Plover is worth $269,800, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $88,042, which is more affordable than 55% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,089 a month. 58.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plover | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $269,800 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,089 | $951 |
| Median household income | $88,042 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 58.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Plover
| People | Plover | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.9% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Plover
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 7.1°F. About 34.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plover since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 16, 1992 about 6.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 22, 2011.
Severe weather in Portage County since 1996
Portage 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 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| October 21, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1944: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Portage County
Portage County had 33,088 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,889 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Plover itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Plover
2 public schools with 978 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roosevelt Elementary | K-6 | 519 | 13.3 |
| Plover-Whiting Elementary | K-6 | 459 | 13.1 |
Towns near Plover
- Stevens Point, WI4.4 mi · 25,666 people · home $195,400
- Stockton, WI6.1 mi · 3,018 people · home $290,100
- Hull, WI7.2 mi · 5,287 people · home $283,500
- Grand Rapids, WI12.1 mi · 7,576 people · home $223,500
- Lake Wazeecha, WI12.2 mi · 3,107 people · home $218,800
- Wisconsin Rapids, WI15.0 mi · 18,877 people · home $131,900
- Saratoga, WI17.7 mi · 5,060 people · home $175,600
- Farmington, WI18.9 mi · 3,712 people · home $251,500
Plover questions
Is Plover, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plover scores better for retirees than 45% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 19%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Plover?
The median owner-occupied home in Plover is valued at $269,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,042, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,089 a month.
What is the weather like in Plover?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows 7.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.0 inches of precipitation a year and 48.7 inches of snow.
Does Plover get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plover since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 16, 1992. 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)