Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,490, organized in 1849. Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Trash & recyclingThe best of Darlington’s subject grades are an A− for walkability and schools and an A+ for history; the weakest is a D for incomes. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Darlington, above both Wisconsin’s towns (6.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On incomes, just 25 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Only 14 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score higher on history. Darlington has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Darlington beats most towns.
Lafayette County CourthouseEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Darlington is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,372 in 1880, 2,462 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1905 and 3 maps from 1902 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Darlington, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Darlington.
32% of Darlington residents are under 18, above both the Wisconsin town median (21%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 9 have a lower median age than Darlington. Adults 35 to 64 are 23% of residents (38% statewide); children under 18 are 32% of residents (21% statewide).
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 32% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 31.7 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 32% | 29% |
46% women, 54% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.6 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Darlington | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 25% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.1% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 5.8% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.2% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 14.9% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.3% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.2% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.2% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.3% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.2% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,500, single groups can be off by several points
Its public schools are run by the Darlington Community School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington Elementary/MiddleLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 636 | B+ |
| Darlington HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 263 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
The typical Darlington home is worth about $244,000, up 9.9% in a year, 28% below the Wisconsin typical home. Darlington’s median rent is $873 a month.
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $873 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 74% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Darlington has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 11° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
12% of Darlington adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Darlington beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 77% of Darlington adults had a checkup this year.
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 26% | 25% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 7.1% | 8.1% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| What stands out | Darlington | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 12.3% | 8% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 11.8% | 9.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Darlington for work: only 19% work in town. The median household income in Darlington is $57,000. The top destinations are Dodgeville (8%), Madison (6%) and Platteville (6%).
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Darlington's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2024.
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.2 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.7 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 47 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Darlington.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Darlington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lafayette County Fairgrounds | 0.3 mi | 10 |
| 2. Riverside Park | — | 16 |
| 3. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Darlington; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Darlington residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
3 places in Darlington on the National Register of Historic Places.
7 notable people were born in Darlington.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,462 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Darlington.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Darlington.
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington · Darlington | — | — | B+ | — | A− | C+ |
Darlington has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Darlington reports no FBI crime data of its own. Darlington and Darlington are one community, graded once. Compare Darlington with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Not for the area. That is 3.2 years of the area's median household income ($76,462 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
Darlington was organized in 1849 and has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places. 7 notable people were born here, including John Morrow and Alex Erickson.
