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Living in
Baraboo.
About
Life in Baraboo
Baraboo is a community of 12,506 people in Wisconsin. The median household income is $69,750, median rent runs about $940 per month, and median home values are around $222,100. Unemployment is low at 2.9%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Baraboo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.4%
Foreign-Born
2.1%
Broadband Internet
87.9%
of households
Population Growth
+5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.1% foreign-born, most often from Colombia
Who lives in Baraboo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Baraboo, the largest foreign-born group is from Colombia (25.6%), and 3.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.2%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.9%
of households
Married Couples
39.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 14% below WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Baraboo
In Baraboo, rent runs 14% below the WI average, and home values are 17% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,707
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $311,213 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WI
Unemployment in Baraboo
Unemployment in Sauk County, which includes Baraboo, is close to the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Baraboo: Sauk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Sauk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Baraboo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21.6 min avg
How Baraboo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Baraboo, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 99 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 138 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 70% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Baraboo runs 70% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
98.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
777.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Baraboo Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
72.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sauk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sauk County, which includes Baraboo, the most common type is winter weather, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Winter Weather | $25,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Winter Weather | $56,000 |
| 2023 | 16 | Winter Weather | $83,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Winter Weather | $31,500 |
| 2021 | 19 | Winter Weather | $34,000 |
| 2020 | 12 | Winter Weather | $27,000 |
| 2019 | 29 | Winter Weather | $80,500 |
| 2018 | 27 | Winter Weather | $6.9M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sauk County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sauk County, which includes Baraboo, is typically good — 276 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
276
per year
Moderate Days
83
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Sauk County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Baraboo has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.9"
Annual Snowfall
42.7"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
169
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 1.35" |
| Feb | 32°F | 13°F | 1.36" |
| Mar | 44°F | 23°F | 2.21" |
| Apr | 57°F | 34°F | 4.16" |
| May | 70°F | 46°F | 4.28" |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 5.58" |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 4.79" |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 4.53" |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 3.85" |
| Oct | 61°F | 38°F | 2.91" |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 2.20" |
| Dec | 33°F | 17°F | 1.68" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Baraboo
Baraboo has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
3.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Ssm Health St Clare Hospital - Baraboo
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sauk Prairie Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.4 mi away · Prairie Du Sac
Reedsburg Area Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14 mi away · Reedsburg
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Baraboo
Baraboo's student/teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Baraboo
Baraboo has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
37 mi awayEffigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in Baraboo
Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library
230 Fourth Ave., Baraboo
Cities Near Baraboo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Baraboo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Baraboo FAQ
Is Baraboo, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Baraboo's median rent is $940/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,750/year. Median home value is $222,100.
Is Baraboo, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Baraboo's violent crime rate was 98 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 778 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Baraboo, Wisconsin?⌄
Sauk County, which includes Baraboo, has an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Baraboo, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Baraboo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $940/month and median household income is $69,750/year. The median home value is $222,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Baraboo, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Baraboo is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from