The Town FilesSussex, Wisconsin
Village in Waukesha County · population 11,487 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $430,600
- Household income
- $119,041
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 39.2
Sussex is a village of 11,487 people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $430,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 94% of Wisconsin towns, more upscale than 93% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 88% of Wisconsin towns.
How Sussex 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 Sussex is worth $430,600, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $119,041, which is more affordable than 27% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,369 a month. 70.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sussex | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $430,600 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,369 | $951 |
| Median household income | $119,041 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 70.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sussex
| People | Sussex | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.9% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.4% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in Sussex
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sussex since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 27, 1984 about 4.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 17 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 86 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 7, 2008.
Severe weather in Waukesha County since 1996
Waukesha County has been included in 19 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 |
| September 11, 2025 | Flood | DR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Waukesha County
Waukesha County had 247,891 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,989 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Sussex itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Sussex
6 public schools with 4,428 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton High | 9-12 | 1,564 | 17.4 |
| Silver Spring Intermediate | 5-6 | 783 | 16.7 |
| Templeton Middle | 7-8 | 744 | 15.8 |
| Woodside Elementary | K-4 | 499 | 14.7 |
| Maple Avenue Elementary | K-4 | 426 | 14.7 |
| Richmond Elementary | PK-8 | 412 | 15.3 |
Towns near Sussex
- Pewaukee, WI3.7 mi · 8,238 people · home $281,800
- Merton, WI4.4 mi · 3,441 people · home $575,800
- Pewaukee, WI4.8 mi · 15,914 people · home $447,100
- Menomonee Falls, WI5.5 mi · 38,527 people · home $368,000
- Hartland, WI6.0 mi · 9,501 people · home $393,100
- Merton, WI7.1 mi · 8,277 people · home $496,600
- Brookfield, WI7.2 mi · 6,477 people · home $374,500
- Richfield, WI7.2 mi · 11,739 people · home $503,400
Sussex questions
Is Sussex, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sussex scores better for retirees than 31% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 9%. 12.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Sussex?
The median owner-occupied home in Sussex is valued at $430,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $119,041, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,369 a month.
What is the weather like in Sussex?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.3 inches of snow.
Does Sussex get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sussex since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 27, 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)