The Pavilion, Grand Rapids, Port Edwards, 1912
Nekoosa’s story
133 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1912.
- 1893Nekoosa is settled
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,402
2025 Census estimate · −1.8% since 2020
Typical home
$273K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
43.1
years
Jobs based here
808
Balanced
Is Nekoosa a good place to live?
Nekoosa’s best subject grades are a B+ for cost of living and walkability; its weakest is a D− for schools. Only 7 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on hazard risk. The median household income is $46K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 20 of Wisconsin’s 874 towns score lower on health. The biggest place to walk is Riverside Park, 40 acres with 1.2 miles of trail. Nekoosa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Nekoosa stand out
Where Nekoosa beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Nekoosa$273K
Wisconsin$337K
Cost of livingB+
4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 75% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
5.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Nekoosa School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Humke Elementary | PK–3 | 313 |
| Alexander Middle | 4–8 | 326 |
| Central Wisconsin STEM Academy | 6–8 | 32 |
Worth knowing · SchoolsD−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
How Nekoosa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Nekoosa is from typical.
SchoolsD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthLess healthy than 84% of U.S. towns; Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics 6.1 miles awayC−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.9 of 20; 7.9% of households have no carB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB+Open →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.1; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nekoosa: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nekoosa, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNekoosa WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown 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 hereCity of Nekoosa ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5445754457 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 Nekoosa.
SchoolsD−
Nekoosa’s schools rank behind 97% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Nekoosa School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
3%of WI districts it outscoresD−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–8 | Grades 4–8 | 326 | C− |
| Nekoosa HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 285 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
A larger share of adults smoke cigarettes in Nekoosa than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
19% of Nekoosa adults smoke cigarettes, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 14% and U.S. towns at 14%. 33% of adults get no exercise outside work in Nekoosa. Nekoosa beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
16%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Nekoosa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 26% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Nekoosa | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.7% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 6.5% |
| More smokers | 18.7% | 13.6% |
Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics
6.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
In Nekoosa, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
Nekoosa’s FEMA risk score is 81 of 100, against 23 of 100 in Wisconsin’s towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns. Since 2002, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Nekoosa.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
5
paid flood claims since 2002
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Nekoosa
Nekoosa has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 7° and about 48 inches of snow falls in a winter.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring33–56°
Summer56–80°
Fall37–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Nekoosa are worth about $273K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Nekoosa home is worth about $273,000, up 3.9% in a year, 19% below the Wisconsin typical home. Nekoosa’s median rent is $699 a month.
$273KZillow home value
| Nekoosa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $699 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Nekoosa$273K
Wisconsin$337K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Nekoosa has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Nekoosa for work: only 11% work in town. Jobs based in Nekoosa fell to 808 in 2023, 276 fewer than in 2013. Only 5 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower median household income than Nekoosa.
11%work in town
| Nekoosa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Nekoosa11%
Wisconsin Rapids23%
Port Edwards4%
Stevens Point4%
Plover4%
21 mi
median commute distance
808
jobs based in Nekoosa
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Nekoosa
Nekoosa's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. The property crime rate in Nekoosa is 3.3 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Nekoosa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.3 per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Nekoosa0.8
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Nekoosa3.3
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
2.7%conserved
| Nekoosa | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.7% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
2.7%
conserved · 58 of 2,156 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riverside Park | 1.2 mi | 40 |
| 2. Nekoosa Skate Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nekoosa
19pages on Nekoosa
The big questions
SchoolsD−Behind 97% of WI districts · 6 schoolsSafety0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than WI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$273K typical home · up 3.9% in a yearWork & commuteD$46K median household income · 808 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nekoosa
About 3 of every 100 Nekoosa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Famous people from Nekoosa
3 notable people were born in Nekoosa.
About Nekoosa
City in Wisconsin, United States
Nekoosa is a city in Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. Its name derives from the Ho-Chunk word, "Nįįkuusra", "Nakrusa", or "Nįkusara" which translates to "running water". The population was 2,449 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 951 ft
- ZIP code
- 54457
Nekoosa’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Nekoosa.
SaratogaPort EdwardsPort EdwardsNekoosa
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nekoosa | — | — | B+ | — | D− | C− |
| Saratoga | #330 | C | B+ | — | C− | B− |
| Port Edwards | — | — | A− | — | D− | C |
| Port Edwards | — | — | B+ | — | C− | C− |
Nekoosa, Port Edwards and Port Edwards have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Nekoosa, Saratoga, Port Edwards and Port Edwards report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Nekoosa with a neighbor →
Questions about Nekoosa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nekoosa, WI expensive?
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 B+.
What is Nekoosa, WI known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Ed Lewis and Edgar Manske.