Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Kiel is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, 2nd among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. It reports less crime per resident than 94% of U.S. towns, its public schools beat 82% of Wisconsin towns on state tests and graduation, and homes are within reach, about $278K for a typical one, or 4 years of the Manitowoc area’s $69K median household income. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in health. Only 64 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score higher on the outdoors. Kiel’s average trip to work is 19 minutes, below both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Kiel is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 71% of U.S. towns.
Where Kiel beats most towns.
5.5% of the town is conserved land, across 10 parks and preserves.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Kiel is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 363 in 1880, 3,932 in 2020. The archive holds 13 old photos and papers going back to 1906 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kiel, 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 Kiel.
Kiel pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Wisconsin norm, pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices and has colder winter nights than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
2.5 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves. Kiel’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.5% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kiel Marsh Wildlife Area | — | 17 |
| 2. Belitz Park | — | 16 |
| 3. Sission Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its A− for schools comes with an A− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $278K.
Its public schools are run by the Kiel Area School District. Three of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Kiel High, with 375 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zielanis ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 412 | B+ |
| Kiel HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 375 | C− |
| Kiel MiddleTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 338 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Kiel is 1.8 per 1,000 residents.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 87% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
January nights average 10.9°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 81% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 80.5°.
Kiel has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 44 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 81°F | 82°F | 85°F |
| January low | 11°F | 11°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Kiel grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $278K, below the Wisconsin typical value; only 24 of the 118 Wisconsin towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Kiel home is worth about $278,000, up 3.7% in a year, 17% below the Wisconsin typical home.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $787 a month | $1,080 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 74% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Jobs based here grew from 1,945 in 2013 to 2,701.
Most working residents leave Kiel for work: only 18% work in town. Since 2013, Kiel has added 756 jobs, to 2,701 in 2023. 7.7% of Kiel workers work from home.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 8.2% | 8% |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $88,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 6.3% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Kiel tracks Wisconsin closely on all 32 CDC measures. 21% of adults binge drink in Kiel.
| Kiel | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Kiel. Close and well known come first.
20 mi LakeLake Winnebago
22 mi MuseumUSS Cobia
39 mi MuseumNational Railroad Museum
30 mi Park & preserveKettle Moraine State Forest
39 mi Ancient siteRouse Simmons
28 mi MuseumEAA Aviation MuseumLake Winnebago: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · USS Cobia: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · National Railroad Museum: Dual Freq, CC BY 3.0 · Kettle Moraine State Forest: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Rouse Simmons: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · EAA Aviation Museum: self, CC BY-SA 2.5
2 within 15 miles of the center of Kiel
About 4 of every 100 Kiel residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Kiel is a city in Manitowoc and Calumet counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,932 at the 2020 census. Of this, 3,585 residents lived in Manitowoc County, and 347 residents lived in Calumet County. The city is located primarily within Manitowoc County, though a portion extends west into adjacent Calumet County and is known as "Hinzeville". Kiel was once known as the "Wooden Shoes Capital of Wisconsin," as it held the only wooden shoe factory in Wisconsin.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Kiel.
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiel | #2 | A+ | A− | A | A− | B− |
| Schleswig | — | — | B− | — | A− | B− |
| New Holstein | — | — | B+ | — | B | B+ |
Schleswig and New Holstein have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Schleswig and New Holstein report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Kiel with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Yes, by almost any measure. Kiel grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #2 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B− for health, A for safety and A− for schools.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
