Cross Plains Water Reservoir, 2009
Cross Plains’s story
188 years in pictures
Census counts: 42 in 1880, 4,104 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 3 maps from 1907 on.
- 1838Cross Plains is settled
Cross PlainsWI
A town of 4,182, settled in 1838. 2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Wisconsin town.
Trash day: Thursday2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,182
2025 Census estimate · +1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$511K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$105K
median
Median age
38.9
years
Jobs based here
1,204
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#59 of 357 in WI
Is Cross Plains a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Cross Plains grades A overall, 59th among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. The median household earns $105K. Its schools rank ahead of 90% of Wisconsin towns and it is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $511K, 5.8 years of the Madison metro’s $89K median household income. Cross Plains’ trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the Wisconsin town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). On hazard risk, just 59 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Cross Plains's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 94% of U.S. towns.
What makes Cross Plains stand out
Where Cross Plains beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Cross Plains7.8
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical WI town3.8
Civic lifeA
2 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Wisconsin town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Park Elementary | PK–4 | 245 |
| St. Francis Xavier | PK–8 | 212 |
| Glacier Creek Middle | 5–8 | 924 |
SchoolsA
#23 of the 362 Wisconsin towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
A growing town
Cross Plains has grown 18% since 2010
3,538 counted in 2010 and 4,104 in 2020; an estimated 4,182 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Cross Plains grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Cross Plains is from typical.
Jobs & income1,204 jobs based hereA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →HealthUniversity of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority 11.3 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 64% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 7% conserved landAOpen →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life7.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.9; 45% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 28 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 23 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cross Plains. Close and well known come first.
12 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
22 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
13 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
37 mi Canyon & gorgeDells of the Wisconsin River
21 mi State parkDevil's Lake State Park
12 mi State parkBlue Mound State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Dells of the Wisconsin River: atramos, CC BY 2.0 · Devil's Lake State Park: CrispAir at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Blue Mound State Park: Mailseth at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cross Plains: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cross Plains, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCross Plains WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTown’s haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVillage of Cross Plains ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5352853528 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cross Plains.
Cross Plains has less food insecurity than most of Wisconsin and has cooler summers than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin; it also carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Wisconsin (mostly inland flooding).
OutdoorsA
Conserved land covers 7.3% of Cross Plains
That puts Cross Plains above both Wisconsin’s towns (3.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). 2.7 miles of trail in 14 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Hickory Hill Conservancy Park, at 50 acres.
#29for trails in WI
7.3%
conserved · 88 of 1,198 acres
2.7 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hickory Hill Conservancy Park | 0.8 mi | 50 |
| 2. Glacial Valley Conservancy | 0.7 mi | 48 |
| 3. Cedar Hill Conservancy | — | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA
Cross Plains earns an A for schools
Its A for schools comes with a C− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $511K.
Its public schools are run by the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
90%of WI districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Creek MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 924 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Cross Plains earns an A for health
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is food insecurity: 7.7% of its 3,071 adults worry about having enough food, against 12.1% statewide.
22% of Cross Plains adults binge drink. Cross Plains beats the Wisconsin average on 18 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 26% of Cross Plains adults have high blood pressure.
89%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Cross Plains | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.1% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
18 better12 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Cross Plains | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.7% | 12.1% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults getting a yearly checkup | 74.1% | 77.6% |
University of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority
11.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
91st
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C−
Cross Plains earns a C− for cost of living
The median property tax bill is $5,996, against $3,792 across Wisconsin, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Cross Plains is $1,433 a month. The typical Cross Plains home is worth about $511,000, up 2.5% in a year, 52% above the Wisconsin typical home.
$511KZillow home value
| Cross Plains | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,433 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Cross Plains$511K
Wisconsin$337K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
A smaller share of residents live below the poverty line in Cross Plains than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
1.3% of residents live below the poverty line in Cross Plains. Most working residents leave Cross Plains for work: only 9% work in town. 19% of workers work from home in Cross Plains.
9%work in town
| Cross Plains | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1.3% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 19% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cross Plains9%
Madison39%
Middleton13%
Fitchburg2%
Verona2%
12 mi
median commute distance
1,204
jobs based in Cross Plains
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Cross Plains, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 82.1°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 80% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 10.5°.
Cross Plains has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Cross Plains’ January low is 11°F. About 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
| Cross Plains | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 11°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Cross Plains, with inland flooding at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 94% of Wisconsin towns, with expected losses of about $663 per resident a year; that rating is what its C for hazard risk is built on.
Since 2001, 13 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cross Plains.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
13
paid flood claims since 2001
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Cross Plains
Cross Plains's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2022.
| Cross Plains | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 9.2 | 14.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cross Plains0.5
Wisconsin3.1
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cross Plains3.5
Wisconsin13.9
U.S.20
2
violent crimes reported in 2022
14
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cross Plains
20pages on Cross Plains
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 90% of WI districts · 3 schoolsSafety0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2022)HealthABetter than WI on 18 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$511K typical home · up 2.5% in a yearWork & commuteA+$105K median household income · 1,204 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 64% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Cross Plains
Edgewood CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison12 mi$35,860 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison12.6 mi$11,603 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Cross Plains residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Get outside
3 miles of trails in Cross Plains
7.3% of the town is conserved land, across 14 parks and preserves.
1
Hickory Hill Conservancy Park0.8 mi of trails · 50 acres
2
Glacial Valley Conservancy0.7 mi of trails · 48 acres
3
Cedar Hill Conservancy19 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Cross Plains
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Cross Plains is a village in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,104 at the 2020 census. The village is located partially within the Town of Cross Plains. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1920
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 938 ft
- ZIP code
- 53528
Cross Plains’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Cross Plains.
Cross PlainsBerryCross Plains
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross Plains | #59 | A | C− | — | A | A |
| Cross Plains | — | — | C+ | — | A | A |
| Berry | — | — | C+ | — | A | A− |
Cross Plains and Berry have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Cross Plains, Cross Plains and Berry report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Cross Plains with a neighbor →
Questions about Cross Plains
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cross Plains, WI a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Cross Plains grades A overall, better than 89% of U.S. towns and #59 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Cross Plains, WI expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.