City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Medford, WI

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

4,331
Residents
$53,173
Median income
$175,300
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Medford - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Medford lands in the 25th percentile for household income and the 48th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
35th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
48th
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: Medford, WI

4,331 people live in Medford, Wisconsin - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $53,173 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.1%. Medford's housing stock carries a median value of $175,300, and the median resident age is 44.9 years. 23.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 59.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 9 residential building permits were authorized in Medford (Building Boom), up 350% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Medford reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1423.4 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 41.8°F with 34.2 inches of precipitation per year and 57.0 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $973 per month statewide. 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 37.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

4,331 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$53,173 /yr

Poverty 3.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Medford compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 35% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 48% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Wisconsin and the picture shifts: Medford ranks #143 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Medford near the bottom of Wisconsin's cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Medford ranks #499 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Medford only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#627 of 753
17th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#499 of 761
0th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#382 of 754
49th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#510 of 761
32nd percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#353 of 761
53rd 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.

25thIncome percentile
48thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 48th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Medford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Medford'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Medford'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 Medford's home value compares nationally

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

$175,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 65% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Medford $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 - Medford, WI Medford, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Medford, 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 Medford, WI median $53,173/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%
Medford, 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 Medford, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.6%

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

Population
4,331
Median Income
$53,173
Median Home Value
$175,300
Median Age
44.9
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Labor force participation
59.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1423.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
225.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1197.5
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
41.8°F
Annual Precipitation
34.2"
Annual Snowfall
57.0"

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 →
4,200 residents4,300 residents4,400 residents4,500 residents4,600 residents4,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,352 residents 4,589 residents ▲ +5.4%
Medford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
8
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 3
2021 2
2022 72
2023 66
2024 9

Permit volume increased 350% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.6%
Carpool
16.1%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
8.0%
Other
1.0%

Based on 2,124 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 Medford sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
37.2 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Baldwin
4,313 people
Kewaskum
4,367 people
Prescott
4,376 people
Mauston
4,280 people
Prairie du Sac
4,385 people
Saukville
4,268 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Medford's 4,331 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Portola Valley, CA
4,329 people
Pantops, VA
4,328 people
Boulevard Park, WA
4,334 people
Kimberly, AL
4,327 people
Middleville, MI
4,327 people
Freeburg, IL
4,336 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Medford's $53,173 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

First Mesa, AZ
$53,173 median income
Moncure, NC
$53,173 median income
Sallis, MS
$53,177 median income
Bucyrus, OH
$53,169 median income
Creighton, NE
$53,167 median income
Westphalia, KS
$53,182 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Medford, 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 Medford, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.2% White 94.4% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Medford 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
Medford (this city) 4,331 $53,173
Baldwin 4,313 $76,675
Kewaskum 4,367 $103,472
Prescott 4,376 $82,730
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Medford, WI?

What is the population of Medford, WI? +

4,331 people live in Medford, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Medford households earn a median of $53,173 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Medford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Medford; 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 Medford, WI safe? +

Medford has a total crime rate of 1423.4 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 Medford, WI? +

The median home value in Medford is $175,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Medford? +

Medford has an average annual temperature of 41.8°F, 34.2 inches of precipitation, and 57.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.