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Living in
Chippewa Falls.
About
Life in Chippewa Falls
Living in Chippewa Falls means settling into a genuinely affordable Midwestern town where a median home price around $210,000 and median household income near $58,000 actually align—you're not stretching yourself thin just to own a house. The job market is stable if unspectacular; the area's largest employers include the school district and healthcare, which provide steady work without being particularly competitive or dynamic. It's the kind of place where a 3.7% unemployment rate reflects real stability rather than explosive growth, and where you'll find yourself part of a community that's slowly growing at under 4% annually—change is happening, but deliberately.
Chippewa Falls at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.4%
Foreign-Born
1.0%
Broadband Internet
89.0%
of households
Population Growth
+3.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Chippewa Falls: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Chippewa Falls, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (31.1%), and 0.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
44.4%
of households
Married Couples
31.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.07
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 16% below WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Chippewa Falls
In Chippewa Falls, rent runs 16% below the WI average, and home values are 21% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,762
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $337,468 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above WI average
Unemployment in Chippewa Falls
Unemployment in Chippewa County, which includes Chippewa Falls, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Chippewa Falls: Chippewa County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Chippewa County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Chippewa Falls Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.9 min avg
How Chippewa Falls residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Chippewa Falls, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU)
Regional airport · few flights26k passengers boarded in 2025
- 89 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M 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 36% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Chippewa Falls runs 36% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
211.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
494.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Chippewa Falls Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
67.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Chippewa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Chippewa County, which includes Chippewa Falls, the most common type is winter storm, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2024 | 10 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 14 | Winter Storm | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,500 |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4,500 |
| 2020 | 9 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2019 | 18 | Winter Storm | $3.1M |
| 2018 | 10 | Winter Storm | None reported |
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
Chippewa County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Eau Claire County, WI (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 15 miles from Chippewa Falls) is typically good — 269 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
269
per year
Moderate Days
85
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Eau Claire County, WI (15 mi away)
Climate81°F summers, 9°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Chippewa Falls has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 9°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
27°/9°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.7"
Annual Snowfall
55.4"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
163
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
118
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 6°F | 1.03" |
| Feb | 28°F | 9°F | 1.10" |
| Mar | 41°F | 21°F | 1.97" |
| Apr | 57°F | 33°F | 3.08" |
| May | 70°F | 45°F | 3.91" |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.83" |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 3.61" |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 4.18" |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.65" |
| Oct | 58°F | 37°F | 2.49" |
| Nov | 42°F | 25°F | 1.79" |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 1.35" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Chippewa Falls
Uninsured
4.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Chippewa Falls's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Oakleaf Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 8.9 mi away · Altoona
Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.4 mi away · Eau Claire
Marshfield Medical Center - Eau Claire
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Eau Claire
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.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Chippewa Falls
Chippewa Falls's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 20.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Chippewa Falls (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
11 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,895 students · in-state tuition $10,207 · 67% graduate · median earnings $62,438 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Chippewa Falls
Chippewa Falls has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
71 mi awayMississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Chippewa Falls
Chippewa Falls Public Library
105 W. Central St., Chippewa Falls
Cities Near Chippewa Falls
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Chippewa Falls?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Chippewa Falls FAQ
Is Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Chippewa Falls's median rent is $910/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $57,873/year. Median home value is $210,400.
Is Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Chippewa Falls's violent crime rate was 211 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 495 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin?⌄
Chippewa County, which includes Chippewa Falls, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Chippewa Falls is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $910/month and median household income is $57,873/year. The median home value is $210,400. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Chippewa Falls is 19 minutes, which is shorter than 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