City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

River Falls, WI

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

16,349
Residents
$78,078
Median income
$299,800
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

River Falls - the verdict

Nationally, River Falls sits in the 59th percentile for household income and the 64th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
64th
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: River Falls, WI

River Falls is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 16,349 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $78,078 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.0%. Typical homes in River Falls are valued around $299,800, and the median resident age is 27.9 years. 44.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 106 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. River Falls reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 990.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 43.4°F with 34.1 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,709 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 19.2 minutes, with 71.1% driving alone and 10.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 42.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

16,349 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$78,078 /yr

Poverty 4.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does River Falls compare to other US cities?

River Falls measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 64% 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, River Falls ranks #104 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below River Falls's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

59thIncome percentile
64thSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 64th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

River Falls's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

River Falls'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 52 Avg. percentile National median
River Falls'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 River Falls's home value compares nationally

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

$299,800 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. River Falls $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 - River Falls, WI River Falls, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not River Falls, 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 River Falls, WI median $78,078/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%
River Falls, 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 River Falls, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.3%

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

Population
16,349
Median Income
$78,078
Median Home Value
$299,800
Median Age
27.9
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Labor force participation
69.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
990.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
128.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
861.9
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
43.4°F
Annual Precipitation
34.1"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,000 residents16,000 residents17,000 residents18,000 residents19,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 16,306 residents 17,916 residents ▲ +9.9%
River Falls's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
106
housing units authorized
Single-Family
102
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 212
2020 281
2021 134
2022 163
2023 279
2024 106

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.2 minutes
Drive Alone
71.1%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
8.3%
Work from Home
10.5%
Other
1.0%

Based on 9,213 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 River Falls sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
42.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Bellevue
16,255 people
Menomonie
16,548 people
Beaver Dam
16,629 people
Pewaukee
16,002 people
Weston
15,784 people
Ashwaubenon
16,931 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to River Falls's 16,349 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Chickasha, OK
16,349 people
Stone Ridge, VA
16,340 people
Lady Lake, FL
16,337 people
Mattoon, IL
16,334 people
Lake Wales, FL
16,365 people
North Arlington, NJ
16,368 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to River Falls's $78,078 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Koontz Lake, IN
$78,081 median income
Arthurdale, WV
$78,070 median income
Brent, OK
$78,068 median income
Russellton, PA
$78,068 median income
Live Oak, TX
$78,092 median income
South Rockwood, MI
$78,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - River Falls, 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 River Falls, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.3% White 92.7% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 4.1% 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 River Falls 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
River Falls (this city) 16,349 $78,078
Bellevue 16,255 $80,750
Menomonie 16,548 $54,587
Beaver Dam 16,629 $68,757
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about River Falls, WI?

What is the population of River Falls, WI? +

River Falls, WI counts 16,349 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in River Falls, WI? +

In River Falls, the typical household earns $78,078 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in River Falls? +

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

River Falls has a total crime rate of 990.0 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 River Falls, WI? +

Homes in River Falls carry a median value of $299,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in River Falls? +

River Falls has an average annual temperature of 43.4°F, 34.1 inches of precipitation. 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 Editorial

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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.