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Living in
Beaver Dam.
About
Life in Beaver Dam
The median household income sits around $66,673, which goes further here than in Milwaukee or Madison, and if you're renting, expect to pay around $959 a month. The trade-off is weather: winters are serious here, with an average of 63.5 inches of snow annually (and yes, sometimes it gets brutal—the 2007-2008 season dumped nearly 120 inches), and the warm-summer humid continental climate means you'll experience all four seasons pretty intensely. Your commute to larger job markets is manageable at about 22 minutes on average, and the city has solid educational infrastructure including public schools, two parochial options, and Moraine Park Technical College's local campus.
Beaver Dam at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Foreign-Born
3.6%
Broadband Internet
88.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Beaver Dam: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Beaver Dam, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (31.5%), and 4.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.9%
of households
Married Couples
37.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
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 12% below WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Beaver Dam
In Beaver Dam, rent runs 12% below the WI average, and home values are 24% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
7.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,536
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $293,389 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below WI average
Unemployment in Beaver Dam
Unemployment in Dodge County, which includes Beaver Dam, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Beaver Dam: Dodge County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Dodge County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Beaver Dam Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.6 min avg
How Beaver Dam residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Beaver Dam, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 59 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 112 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 52% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Beaver Dam runs 52% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
158.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
696.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Beaver Dam Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
69.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Dodge County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Dodge County, which includes Beaver Dam, the most common type is winter weather, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Winter Weather | $7.3M |
| 2024 | 25 | Winter Weather | $92,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Winter Weather | $16,000 |
| 2022 | 25 | Winter Weather | $82,500 |
| 2021 | 15 | Winter Weather | $11,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | Winter Weather | $45,000 |
| 2019 | 23 | Winter Weather | $41,500 |
| 2018 | 23 | Winter Weather | $191,000 |
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
Dodge County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Dodge County, which includes Beaver Dam, is typically good — 264 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
264
per year
Moderate Days
94
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Dodge County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 12°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Beaver Dam has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 12°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
28°/12°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.3"
Annual Snowfall
43.3"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
153
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 9°F | 1.49" |
| Feb | 29°F | 11°F | 1.42" |
| Mar | 41°F | 23°F | 2.13" |
| Apr | 54°F | 34°F | 3.83" |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 4.05" |
| Jun | 77°F | 56°F | 5.04" |
| Jul | 80°F | 60°F | 4.14" |
| Aug | 78°F | 58°F | 4.07" |
| Sep | 72°F | 50°F | 3.26" |
| Oct | 58°F | 38°F | 3.04" |
| Nov | 43°F | 26°F | 2.15" |
| Dec | 30°F | 15°F | 1.65" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Marshfield Medical Center - Beaver Dam (mmc-bd)
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Waupun Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Waupun
Columbus Community Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.7 mi away · Columbus
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.
Education13.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam's student/teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.7:1
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, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
51 mi awayPublic Libraries in Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam Community Library
311 N. Spring St., Beaver Dam
Cities Near Beaver Dam
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Beaver Dam?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Beaver Dam FAQ
Is Beaver Dam, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Beaver Dam's median rent is $959/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $66,673/year. Median home value is $201,900.
Is Beaver Dam, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Beaver Dam's violent crime rate was 159 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 696 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin?⌄
Dodge County, which includes Beaver Dam, has an unemployment rate of 2.7%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Beaver Dam is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $959/month and median household income is $66,673/year. The median home value is $201,900. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Beaver Dam is 25 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