The Town FilesRichland Center, Wisconsin
City in Richland County · population 5,114 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $158,300
- Household income
- $51,932
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 41.9
Richland Center is a city of 5,114 people in Richland County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $158,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 90% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 89% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 89% of Wisconsin towns.
How Richland Center 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 Richland Center is worth $158,300, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $51,932, which is more affordable than 62% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $683 a month. 51.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Richland Center | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $158,300 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $683 | $951 |
| Median household income | $51,932 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 51.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Richland Center
| People | Richland Center | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Richland Center
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richland Center since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 3, 1964 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 24, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 12, 2000.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 19 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 |
| October 18, 2018 | Flood | DR-4402: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| October 7, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4343: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud |
| October 20, 2016 | Flood | DR-4288: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 5,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,821 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Richland Center itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Richland Center
8 public schools with 1,467 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richland Center High | 7-12 | 530 | 12.9 |
| Richland Center Primary School | PK-2 | 305 | 10.9 |
| Richland Center Intermediate School | 3-6 | 265 | 9.1 |
| Ithaca Elementary | PK-5 | 150 | 10.0 |
| Ithaca High | 9-12 | 128 | 12.8 |
| Ithaca Middle | 6-8 | 74 | 14.8 |
| PARTNER Charter School (charter) | 8-12 | 14 | 14.0 |
| Richland Community 4K | PK-PK | 1 | 1.0 |
Towns near Richland Center
- Boscobel, WI21.0 mi · 3,286 people · home $147,400
- Reedsburg, WI23.7 mi · 9,984 people · home $229,100
- Fennimore, WI28.0 mi · 2,764 people · home $161,400
- Dodgeville, WI28.8 mi · 4,984 people · home $242,600
- Viroqua, WI29.5 mi · 4,504 people · home $209,900
Richland Center questions
Is Richland Center, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Richland Center scores better for retirees than 49% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 11%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Richland Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Richland Center is valued at $158,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,932, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $683 a month.
What is the weather like in Richland Center?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 7.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Richland Center get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Richland Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 3, 1964. 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)