The Town FilesRacine, Wisconsin
City in Racine County · population 77,816 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,500
- Household income
- $57,740
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 34.7
Racine is a city of 77,816 people in Racine County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $166,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 99% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 97% of Wisconsin towns.
How Racine 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 Racine is worth $166,500, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $57,740, which is more affordable than 68% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,033 a month. 60.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Racine | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,500 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,033 | $951 |
| Median household income | $57,740 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 60.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Racine
| People | Racine | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Racine
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 14.5°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.0 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Racine since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 11, 2026 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 23, 1960.
Severe weather in Racine County since 1996
Racine County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| March 11, 2020 | Flood | DR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Racine County
Racine County had 76,342 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,150 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Racine itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Racine
27 public schools with 15,636 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case High | 9-12 | 1,845 | 14.3 |
| Gifford School | PK-8 | 1,408 | 15.0 |
| Horlick High | 9-12 | 1,281 | 13.1 |
| Park High | 9-12 | 1,150 | 12.8 |
| Mitchell School | PK-8 | 1,093 | 10.2 |
| Jerstad-Agerholm School | PK-8 | 865 | 10.2 |
| Gilmore Fine Arts School | K-8 | 725 | 13.4 |
| Walden III High | 6-12 | 723 | 16.1 |
| Julian Thomas Elementary | PK-5 | 547 | 9.3 |
| Johnson Elementary | PK-5 | 530 | 12.6 |
| O Brown Elementary | PK-5 | 526 | 14.6 |
| 21st Century Preparatory School (charter) | PK-8 | 512 | 18.3 |
Towns near Racine
- Mount Pleasant, WI3.8 mi · 27,732 people · home $292,400
- Sturtevant, WI4.8 mi · 6,919 people · home $253,800
- Caledonia, WI5.9 mi · 25,361 people · home $303,400
- Somers, WI6.9 mi · 8,402 people · home $315,300
- Yorkville, WI9.5 mi · 3,246 people · home $385,200
- Kenosha, WI10.1 mi · 99,986 people · home $225,200
- Raymond, WI11.2 mi · 3,926 people · home $389,700
- Oak Creek, WI11.4 mi · 36,497 people · home $331,700
Racine questions
Is Racine, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Racine scores better for retirees than 0% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 0%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Racine?
The median owner-occupied home in Racine is valued at $166,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,740, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Racine?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 14.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 41.0 inches of snow.
Does Racine get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Racine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 11, 2026. 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)