The Town FilesPrairie du Sac, Wisconsin
Village in Sauk County · population 4,420 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $321,300
- Household income
- $101,049
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 38.4
Prairie du Sac is a village of 4,420 people in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $321,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 93% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 92% of Wisconsin towns.
How Prairie du Sac 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 Prairie du Sac is worth $321,300, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $101,049, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,370 a month. 69.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prairie du Sac | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $321,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,370 | $951 |
| Median household income | $101,049 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 69.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Prairie du Sac
| People | Prairie du Sac | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.9% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.5% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Prairie du Sac
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.9°F. About 36.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie du Sac since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 7, 1984 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 14, 2026.
Severe weather in Sauk County since 1996
Sauk County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Sauk County
Sauk County had 36,498 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,177 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Prairie du Sac itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Prairie du Sac
3 public schools with 1,779 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk Prairie High | 9-12 | 873 | 14.3 |
| Bridges Elementary | PK-2 | 478 | 14.1 |
| Grand Avenue Elementary | 3-5 | 428 | 14.8 |
Towns near Prairie du Sac
- Sauk City, WI1.4 mi · 3,518 people · home $291,400
- Lake Wisconsin, WI8.5 mi · 4,616 people · home $452,400
- Lodi, WI9.9 mi · 3,189 people · home $328,200
- Lodi, WI10.5 mi · 3,282 people · home $441,500
- Baraboo, WI12.0 mi · 12,556 people · home $222,100
- Cross Plains, WI13.1 mi · 4,104 people · home $376,500
- Springfield, WI13.2 mi · 2,929 people · home $554,700
- Waunakee, WI16.5 mi · 14,879 people · home $515,900
Prairie du Sac questions
Is Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prairie du Sac scores better for retirees than 86% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 6%. 17.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Prairie du Sac?
The median owner-occupied home in Prairie du Sac is valued at $321,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,049, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,370 a month.
What is the weather like in Prairie du Sac?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.5 inches of precipitation a year and 36.4 inches of snow.
Does Prairie du Sac get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie du Sac since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 7, 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)