Merton Baptist Church, 1933
Merton’s story
Merton in pictures
Census counts: 6,025 in 1980, 8,277 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1933 and 5 maps from 1892 on.
Explore the history →MertonWI
TownGrade
A−
#94 of 357 in WI
Public schools that outperform most of Wisconsin. 8,319 residents make their home in this town in Wisconsin.
Population
8,319
2025 Census estimate · +0.2% since 2020
Median home value
$497K
Census ACS
Household income
$119K
median
Median age
48.4
years
Jobs based here
1,668
A commuter town
Is Merton a good place to live?
Plenty to like here, at a price. With an A− overall, Merton is better than 84% of U.S. towns and ranks 94th of 357 in Wisconsin. Its strongest subject is incomes — the median household earns $119K. It is strong on schools as well (A+): its schools rank ahead of 95% of Wisconsin towns. What counts against it is cost of living — the typical home is worth about $497K, 6.3 years of the Milwaukee metro’s $78K median household income. The biggest place to walk is Nashotah Park, 380 acres with 6.9 miles of trail. 49% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in the town, against 32% in Wisconsin’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · OpenStreetMap.
How Merton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Merton is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for jobs and income (better than 98% of comparable towns) to D for cost of living (better than 14%), so the A− overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeIn the top fifth of the towns comparedA+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsA+Open →HealthAurora Medical Center - Summit 7 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingHomes are among the least affordable for local incomesDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 1.5% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landB+Open →HistoryBelow the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →Civic life5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Merton stand out
Where Merton beats most towns.
Arrowhead UHS School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Swallow Elementary | PK–8 | 432 |
| North Lake Elementary | PK–8 | 365 |
| Stone Bank Elementary | PK–8 | 241 |
SchoolsA+
#10 of the 362 Wisconsin towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Merton5
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical WI town3.8
Civic lifeA−
30% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Wisconsin town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Merton for work
Where Merton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,668jobs based in Merton
4%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Merton.
Merton has schools in the top 5% of Wisconsin, has less food insecurity than most of Wisconsin and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
SchoolsA+
For schools, Merton earns an A+
95%of WI districts it outscoresA+School Grade
That grade ranks #10 of the 362 Wisconsin towns we grade for schools. It comes with a D for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $497K.
Public schools: the Arrowhead UHS School District. Of its 4 schools, three are listed below, each with the reason. The largest public high school is Arrowhead High, with 1,950 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swallow ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 432 | A+ |
| Arrowhead HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,950 | A |
| North Lake ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 365 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsB+
In Merton, 2.6% of the land is conserved
#91for trails in WI
Merton’s trail network density comes in at 0.7 miles per square mile. 18 miles of trail wind through 7 parks and preserves.
| Merton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
2.6%
conserved · 441 of 17,237 acres
18 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nashotah Park | 6.9 mi | 380 |
| 2. Oconomowoc River Conservancy | 1.3 mi | 85 |
| 3. Merton Community Park | 0.4 mi | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
On CDC estimates, Merton is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is food insecurity: 7.2% of its 16,851 adults worry about having enough food, against 12.1% statewide.
20% of adults get no exercise outside work in Merton. This Wisconsin town beats the Wisconsin average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
| Merton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 26% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
17 better14 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Merton | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.2% | 12.1% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 8.6% |
Aurora Medical Center - Summit
7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
90th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Merton’s workers commute out
4%work in town
Just 4% of Merton’s working residents have a job in town. Jobs in Merton grew by 256 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 1,668. 2.6% of Merton residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Milwaukee (10%), Waukesha (7%) and Brookfield (6%).
| Merton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $119,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 19% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Merton4%
Milwaukee10%
Waukesha7%
Brookfield6%
Hartland6%
14 mi
median commute distance
1,668
jobs based in Merton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Merton has four seasons and pleasant summers
40″snow a winter
The Oconomowoc Wwtp weather station, 8 miles away, records that 40 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 79% of Wisconsin places with climate records. January nights average 11.5°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 86% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 81.7°.
For Merton, the January low is 12°F.
| Merton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 12°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–30°
Spring35–56°
Summer58–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
The biggest natural risk in Merton is inland flooding, at a low overall level
35risk score of 100
Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2008. For Merton, the FEMA risk score is 35 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 59% come from inland flooding and 17% from cold waves.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Merton
18pages on Merton
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Merton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Merton, and how to reach them.
PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHartland WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsArrowhead Union High School DistrictNorth Lake School DistrictStone Bank School District3 districts serve Merton; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereTown of Merton ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes53029, 53058, 53066, 5307253029 72% · 53058 12% · 53066 11% · 53072 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Merton
Nashotah HouseUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Nashotah6 miWaukesha County Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pewaukee8.1 mi$4,872 in-state tuitionCarroll UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waukesha12.7 mi$38,890 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Merton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Merton
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Merton is a town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States; before Wisconsin statehood, it was called Warren. The population was 8,277 at the 2020 census. The town surrounds the villages of Chenequa and Merton. The unincorporated communities of Camp Whitcomb, Monches, and North Lake are in the town and the unincorporated community of Stone Bank is partially in the town. The pioneer Swedish-American settlement of New Upsala was also at one time located within Merton.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 28 sq mi
- Elevation
- 925 ft
- ZIP code
- 53056
- Area code
- 262
Merton’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Merton.
ChenequaHartlandOconomowocMertonDelafieldErinLisbonOkauchee LakeNorth LakeMerton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merton | #94 | A− | D | — | A+ | A |
| Chenequa | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hartland | #17 | A+ | C− | A | A+ | A− |
| Oconomowoc | #145 | B+ | D | — | A | A− |
| Merton | #71 | A | C− | — | A+ | A |
| Delafield | #114 | A− | D | B | A | A |
| Erin | #215 | B | C− | — | B+ | B+ |
| Lisbon | — | — | B+ | — | A+ | — |
Merton, Oconomowoc, Merton, Erin and Lisbon report no FBI crime data of their own. Chenequa and Lisbon aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Merton with a neighbor →
Questions about Merton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Merton, WI a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Merton grades A− overall, better than 84% of U.S. towns and #94 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A for health and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Merton, WI expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
Merton is in here
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