The Town FilesWhitewater, Wisconsin
City in Walworth County · population 14,889 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $229,400
- Household income
- $54,969
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 22.1
Whitewater is a city of 14,889 people in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $229,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 97% of Wisconsin towns.
How Whitewater 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 Whitewater is worth $229,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $54,969, which is more affordable than 9% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,041 a month. 31.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Whitewater | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $229,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,041 | $951 |
| Median household income | $54,969 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 31.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Whitewater
| People | Whitewater | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.1 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 11.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.2% | 89.1% |
Weather in Whitewater
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.5°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.9 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewater since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 28, 1986 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 2, 2026.
Severe weather in Walworth County since 1996
Walworth County has been included in 13 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 |
| April 5, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1966: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1768: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3285: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Walworth County
Walworth County had 45,268 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,949 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Whitewater itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Whitewater
5 public schools with 1,729 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitewater High | 9-12 | 595 | 12.9 |
| Whitewater Middle | 6-8 | 431 | 12.7 |
| Lincoln Elementary | PK-5 | 383 | 12.8 |
| Washington Elementary | PK-5 | 308 | 11.4 |
| Whitewater 4K | PK-PK | 12 | — |
Towns near Whitewater
- Koshkonong, WI6.5 mi · 3,763 people · home $391,700
- Fort Atkinson, WI8.2 mi · 12,579 people · home $211,800
- Sugar Creek, WI10.6 mi · 3,902 people · home $330,200
- Milton, WI11.3 mi · 5,716 people · home $249,200
- Milton, WI11.8 mi · 3,100 people · home $347,500
- Jefferson, WI12.1 mi · 7,793 people · home $225,600
- Eagle, WI13.2 mi · 3,478 people · home $475,100
- Harmony, WI13.6 mi · 2,569 people · home $357,800
Whitewater questions
Is Whitewater, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Whitewater scores better for retirees than 4% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 1%. 10.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.1).
How much does a house cost in Whitewater?
The median owner-occupied home in Whitewater is valued at $229,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,969, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,041 a month.
What is the weather like in Whitewater?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 33.9 inches of snow.
Does Whitewater get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Whitewater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 28, 1986. 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)