MelroseWisconsinDowntownWIS54, 2010
Melrose’s story
171 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2010.
- 1855Melrose is settled
MelroseWI
Population
528
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$237K
+9.1% in a year
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
36.1
years
Jobs based here
60
A commuter town
Is Melrose a good place to live?
19% of residents live below the poverty line in Melrose, above both Wisconsin’s towns (6.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 7 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower median household income than Melrose. Melrose has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Melrose stand out
Where Melrose beats most towns.
Small town
528 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Melrose: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Melrose, and how to reach them.
PowerJackson Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMelrose WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Melrose’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 Melrose ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5464254642 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 Melrose.
Work & commute
Most of Melrose’s workers commute out: the town has 0.3 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Melrose for work: only 1% work in town. Melrose’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, above both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Melrose has lost 194 jobs, to 60 in 2023.
1%work in town
| Melrose | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Melrose1%
Black River Falls15%
La Crosse10%
Sparta8%
Brockway5%
22 mi
median commute distance
60
jobs based in Melrose
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
A typical Melrose home is worth about $237K
The typical Melrose home is worth about $237,000, up 9.1% in a year, 30% below the Wisconsin typical home. Melrose’s median rent is $744 a month.
$237KZillow home value
| Melrose | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $744 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Melrose$237K
Wisconsin$337K
+9.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Melrose, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Melrose has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 7° and about 41 inches of snow falls in a winter.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring34–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall38–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Melrose
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Melrose is
Melrose beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 17% of Melrose adults smoke cigarettes.
| Melrose | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Melrose | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.5% | 9.9% |
| More smokers | 17.2% | 13.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 8% | 6.5% |
Black River Memorial Hospital
13.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Melrose
16pages on Melrose
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Melrose; the nearest are
University of Wisconsin-La CrosseUniversity or college · Public · La Crosse24.7 mi$10,070 in-state tuitionWestern Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · La Crosse25.1 mi$4,820 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Melrose residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Melrose for work
Where Melrose’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
60jobs based in Melrose
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Melrose
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Melrose is a village in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 544 at the 2020 census. The village is located within the Town of Melrose.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 761 ft
- ZIP code
- 54642
Questions about Melrose
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Melrose, WI a good place to live?
Melrose has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.