City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Grafton, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Grafton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

12,274
Residents
$88,634
Median income
$301,300
Median home
$1,338
Median rent (state)

Grafton - the verdict

Grafton ranks in the 70th percentile for household income and the 77th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

70th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
77th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Grafton, WI

Grafton is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 12,274 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Grafton brings in $88,634 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.3%. Home values in Grafton run a median of $301,300, and the median resident age is 43.5 years. 44.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 396 residential building permits were authorized in Grafton (Building Boom), up 1065% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Grafton reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 696.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,338 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 50.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

12,274 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$88,634 /yr

Poverty 1.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Grafton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Grafton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 70% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 77% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Wisconsin alone, Grafton ranks #75 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Grafton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Wisconsin only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Grafton's strongest outlier among Wisconsin cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Grafton ranks #76 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Grafton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#146 of 753
81st percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#56 of 761
82nd percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#105 of 754
86th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#632 of 761
16th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#76 of 761
90th percentile in Wisconsin

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

70thIncome percentile
77thSafety percentile

70th percentile nationally for median household income · 77th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Grafton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Grafton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 63 Avg. percentile National median
Grafton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Grafton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$301,300 35th percentile more affordable than 35% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Grafton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Grafton, WI Grafton, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Grafton, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Grafton, WI median $88,634/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Grafton, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Grafton, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
12,274
Median Income
$88,634
Median Home Value
$301,300
Median Age
43.5
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Labor force participation
69.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
696.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
78.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
617.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,500 residents12,000 residents12,500 residents13,000 residents13,500 residents14,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,072 residents 13,389 residents ▲ +10.9%
Grafton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
396
housing units authorized
Single-Family
94
detached homes
Multifamily
302
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
32.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 34
2020 77
2021 85
2022 102
2023 76
2024 396

Permit volume increased 1065% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.9%
Carpool
4.1%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
13.0%

Based on 7,046 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Grafton sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,338/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
50.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Cedarburg
12,317 people
Fort Atkinson
12,490 people
Baraboo
12,506 people
Port Washington
12,569 people
Brown Deer
12,615 people
Little Chute
11,930 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Grafton's 12,274 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Streator, IL
12,274 people
Haverstraw, NY
12,273 people
Herrin, IL
12,271 people
Madison, IN
12,277 people
San Marino, CA
12,279 people
Riverview, MI
12,269 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Grafton's $88,634 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Highland, FL
$88,628 median income
Beechwood, MS
$88,653 median income
Henderson, NV
$88,654 median income
Punaluu, HI
$88,611 median income
Monticello, IL
$88,611 median income
Lakeridge, NV
$88,611 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Grafton, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Grafton, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.2% White 90.0% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 5.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Grafton compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Grafton (this city) 12,274 $88,634
Cedarburg 12,317 $82,110
Fort Atkinson 12,490 $75,350
Baraboo 12,506 $73,515
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Grafton, WI?

What is the population of Grafton, WI? +

Grafton, WI counts 12,274 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Grafton, WI? +

In Grafton, the typical household earns $88,634 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Grafton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Grafton; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Grafton, WI safe? +

Grafton has a total crime rate of 696.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Grafton, WI? +

Homes in Grafton carry a median value of $301,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.