DeSotoWisconsinDowntownWIS82WestTerminusWIS35, 2009
De Soto’s story
171 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1855De Soto is settled
De SotoWI
Population
323
2025 Census estimate · +5.2% since 2020
Typical home
$237K
+7.9% in a year
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
59.8
years
Jobs based here
144
Balanced
Is De Soto a good place to live?
De Soto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes De Soto stand out
Where De Soto beats most towns.
Small town
323 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
WheatlandFreemanDe Soto
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to De Soto: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in De Soto, and how to reach them.
PowerVernon Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterPine Crest Resort 2-Upper Well water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have De Soto’s trash rules yet
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 De Soto ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5462454624 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 De Soto.
Schools
The schools De Soto’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the De Soto Area School District. Below: Two of its 3 schools, each with why it was picked.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Soto MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 101 | B− |
| De Soto HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 133 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
De Soto stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with the median rent lower than most
89% of De Soto households live in a home they own. Values rose 7.9% in the 12 months to September 2026.
$237KZillow home value
| De Soto | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $615 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
De Soto$237K
Wisconsin$337K
+7.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in De Soto, mostly inland flooding
One claim on flood insurance has been paid out in De Soto since 2016. Compared with 72% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher. Federal aid has come to De Soto households in 8 declared disasters; the latest was in 2018. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 45% come from inland flooding and 32% from cold waves.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesLandslides
1
paid flood claims since 2016
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
De Soto has four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 10° on a January night to 82° on a July afternoon, with about 35 inches of snow a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–29°
Spring36–56°
Summer60–80°
Fall40–59°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
The average trip to work in De Soto is longer than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
The top destinations are La Crosse (36%), Viroqua (4%) and Onalaska (4%). 0.6% of De Soto working residents work locally, below both Wisconsin’s towns (8.3%) and U.S. towns (8%). The share of residents in De Soto who live below the poverty line: 5.8%. Employers in De Soto added 75 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 144.
1%work in town
| De Soto | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 36 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In De Soto1%
La Crosse36%
Viroqua4%
Onalaska4%
Stoddard4%
27 mi
median commute distance
144
jobs based in De Soto
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy De Soto is
37% of adults have high blood pressure in De Soto. On the CDC’s 32 measures, De Soto is ahead of Wisconsin on 2 and behind on 8.
| De Soto | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
2 better22 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | De Soto | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 88.2% | 85.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8% | 6.5% |
Vernon Memorial Hospital
17.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 737 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. City Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about De Soto
18pages on De Soto
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of De Soto; the nearest are
Viterbo UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · La Crosse26 mi$34,250 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-La CrosseUniversity or college · Public · La Crosse26.8 mi$10,070 in-state tuitionWestern Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · La Crosse26.8 mi$4,820 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 De Soto residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About De Soto
Village in Wisconsin, United States
De Soto is a village mostly in Vernon County but also in Crawford County in Wisconsin, United States. The population was 309 at the 2020 census, up from 287 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 653 ft
- ZIP code
- 54624
- Area code
- 608
Questions about De Soto
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is De Soto, WI a good place to live?
De Soto has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.