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Living in
Kaukauna.
About
Life in Kaukauna
If you're considering moving to Kaukauna, you're looking at a solidly affordable midwest city where you can actually afford a home—median values sit around $225,700 with household incomes averaging $80,365—without sacrificing community stability or job prospects. The job market here is genuinely tight, with unemployment at just 2.9%, largely supported by specialty manufacturing and paper mills that have deep roots in the region; you're also positioned 100 miles north of Milwaukee and part of the wider Appleton metropolitan area, which expands your employment options while keeping your commute reasonable at about 20.5 minutes on average. What weekends look like here involves genuine outdoor access: the Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs right through the region at 67 miles, and you've got the Fox River cutting through town dividing the North and South sides, so hiking, kayaking, and walking aren't just tourism brochure stuff—locals actually do them regularly.
Kaukauna at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Foreign-Born
2.4%
Broadband Internet
90.8%
of households
Population Growth
+8.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kaukauna: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kaukauna, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (21.0%), and 1.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.9%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.7%
of households
Married Couples
52.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.40
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 about average for WI
Rent, home values, and income in Kaukauna
In Kaukauna, home values are 15% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,383
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $313,538 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WI
Unemployment in Kaukauna
Unemployment in Outagamie County, which includes Kaukauna, is close to the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Kaukauna: Outagamie County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Outagamie County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Kaukauna Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute21 min avg
How Kaukauna residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kaukauna, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Appleton International Airport (ATW)
Small hub629k passengers boarded in 2025
- 94 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M 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 56% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kaukauna runs 56% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
144.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
572.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kaukauna Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
79.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Outagamie County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Outagamie County, which includes Kaukauna, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 9 | Winter Storm | $579,000 |
| 2023 | 9 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 10 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2019 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $157,500 |
| 2018 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $263,000 |
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
Outagamie County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Outagamie County, which includes Kaukauna, is typically good — 264 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
264
per year
Moderate Days
92
per year
Unhealthy Days
6
per year
Outagamie County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 13°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kaukauna has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 13°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
28°/13°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.1"
Annual Snowfall
49.4"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
157
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 10°F | 1.36" |
| Feb | 29°F | 12°F | 1.13" |
| Mar | 41°F | 22°F | 1.92" |
| Apr | 54°F | 34°F | 3.24" |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 3.64" |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 4.65" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.78" |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.58" |
| Sep | 72°F | 51°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 58°F | 39°F | 2.84" |
| Nov | 43°F | 28°F | 2.07" |
| Dec | 31°F | 17°F | 1.76" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kaukauna
Uninsured
4.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Kaukauna's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Thedacare Regional Medical Center - Appleton Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.5 mi away · Appleton
Ascension Ne Wisconsin - St Elizabeth Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Appleton
Thedacare Regional Med Ctr - Neenah
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.2 mi away · Neenah
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.
Education15.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kaukauna
Kaukauna's student/teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Kaukauna (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,396 students · in-state tuition $58,794 · 78% graduate · median earnings $59,025 (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: Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 67 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kaukauna
Kaukauna has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (67 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
67 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kaukauna
Kaukauna Public Library
207 Thilmany Rd., Suite 200, Kaukauna
Cities Near Kaukauna
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kaukauna?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kaukauna FAQ
Is Kaukauna, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Kaukauna's median rent is $1,083/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $80,365/year. Median home value is $225,700.
Is Kaukauna, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Kaukauna's violent crime rate was 145 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 573 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kaukauna, Wisconsin?⌄
Outagamie County, which includes Kaukauna, 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 Kaukauna, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Kaukauna is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,083/month and median household income is $80,365/year. The median home value is $225,700. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kaukauna, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Kaukauna is 21 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