Fall River Tower 1, 2008
Fall River’s story
177 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2008.
- 1849Fall River is settled
Photo: Downspec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,853
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$370K
+7.3% in a year
Household income
$72K
median
Median age
37.0
years
Jobs based here
1,061
Balanced
Is Fall River a good place to live?
The best of Fall River’s subject grades is an A− for schools; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Only 30 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on hazard risk. The biggest park or preserve is Praririe Street Athletic Complex, at 23 acres. Fall River has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Fall River stand out
Where Fall River beats most towns.
How Fall River grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Fall River is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.2 of 20; 2.6% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard riskhail tops the listC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →HealthColumbus Community Hospital 4.3 miles awayBOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →Jobs & income$72K median household income; 1,061 jobs based hereB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landBOpen →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fall River: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fall River, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFall River Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTrash dayTown 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 Fall River ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5393253932 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 Fall River.
SchoolsA−
On state tests, Fall River’s schools beat 78% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Fall River School District. Its two schools are below.
78%of WI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall River ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 231 | B+ |
| Fall River HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 253 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Fall River faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by hail
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailInland floodingCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
More children than Wisconsin overall
In the comparison, Fall River comes above both Wisconsin’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (22%). Children under 18 are 30% of residents (21% statewide); people 65 and older are 13% of residents (19% statewide). The median age in Fall River is 37 years.
37median age · WI 40.2
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 30% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 37 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 32% | 29% |
Fall RiverWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma10%
High school26%
Some college25%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s18%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
About 92 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.8 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 39.2, men 35.4.
| Fall River | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.6% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.9% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.2% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.7% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.2% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.6% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.7% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.4% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.1% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Fall River has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Fall River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 10° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring35–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 9
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Fall River has 1.1 jobs for every working resident, and 958 people commute in
Most working residents leave Fall River for work: only 11% work in town. 6.5% of Fall River workers work from home, below both the Wisconsin town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (11%). The top destinations are Madison (20%), Columbus (10%) and Sun Prairie (4%).
11%work in town
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 6.5% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Fall River11%
Madison20%
Columbus10%
Sun Prairie4%
Beaver Dam3%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,061
jobs based in Fall River
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 18% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB
Fall River is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns
Fall River beats the Wisconsin average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 73% of adults had a checkup this year in Fall River.
60%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 78% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
4 better26 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Fall River | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.4% | 6.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.3% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults getting a yearly checkup | 73.2% | 77.6% |
Columbus Community Hospital
4.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Fall River stands out in Wisconsin and nationally: property crime there is lower
Fall River’s violent crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents. Only 5 of the 189 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Fall River. Fall River's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's.
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 8.8 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.8 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Fall River0
Wisconsin3
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Fall River1.1
Wisconsin12.6
U.S.19.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2023
2
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B
Fall River’s typical home value is about $370K
The typical Fall River home is worth about $370,000, up 7.3% in a year, 10% above the Wisconsin typical home.
$370KZillow home value
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 68% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,190 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Fall River$370K
Wisconsin$337K
+7.3%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.4%conserved
| Fall River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1.4%
conserved · 18 of 1,245 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Praririe Street Athletic Complex | 0.1 mi | 23 |
| 2. Brayton Park | 0.1 mi | 23 |
| 3. Village Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fall River
20pages on Fall River
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 78% of WI districts · 2 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthBBetter than WI on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$370K typical home · up 7.3% in a yearWork & commuteB−$72K median household income · 1,061 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 73% of U.S. communities · hail
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Fall River; the nearest are
Maranatha Baptist UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Watertown20.4 mi$21,550 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison28 mi$11,603 in-state tuitionMoraine Park Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fond du Lac41.8 mi$4,819 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Fall River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Fall River
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Fall River is a village in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States, along the North Fork of the Crawfish River. The population was 1,801 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 856 ft
- ZIP code
- 53932
- Area code
- 920
Questions about Fall River
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fall River, WI a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of Wisconsin.
Is Fall River, WI expensive?
That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($88,804 across the Madison, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.