Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,238, platted in 1899.
Laona’s best subject grades are an A for the outdoors and an A− for history; its weakest is a D for incomes. Only 11 of Wisconsin’s 874 towns score lower on health. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Only 24 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on incomes. 63% of the land in Laona is conserved, above both Wisconsin’s towns (3.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). On the outdoors, just 56 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Laona has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Camp Five Farmstead and Connor Lumber and Land Company Store. Laona has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Laona beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Laona is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1914 and 2 maps from 1972 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Laona, 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 Laona.
118 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. At 1.1 miles per square mile, Laona’s trail density is above both the Wisconsin town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4).
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Forest County Forest | — | 5 |
| 2. Peshtigo Preserve | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Laona School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 145 | A |
| Laona HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 146 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Laona since 2000.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
16% of adults have diabetes in Laona. Only 1 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Laona. 42% of adults have obesity in Laona.
| Laona | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 33% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 26% | 25% |
| What stands out | Laona | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.6% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.4% | 6.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Laona’s median rent is $556 a month. Typical home values rose 8.8% in the year to September 2026. 88% of Laona households own their home.
| Laona | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $556 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 88% | 74% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Laona for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Laona fell to 288 in 2023, 105 fewer than in 2013. The median household income in Laona is $63,000.
| Laona | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Laona has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 78°, January nights drop to 4° and about 80 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Laona; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Laona residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
Where Laona’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Laona is a town in Forest County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,215 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of Laona is located in the town. The unincorporated community of Blackwell Junction is also located partially within the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
