OsceolaFdLCountyWisconsinTownhall, 2010
Osceola’s story
163 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1955 on.
- 1863Osceola is settled
OsceolaWI
With 1,874 residents, this town was settled in 1863.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,874
2025 Census estimate · +1.8% since 2020
Median home value
$366K
Census ACS
Household income
$103K
median
Median age
53.2
years
Jobs based here
494
A commuter town
Settled
1863
163 years ago
Is Osceola a good place to live?
Osceola’s best subject grade is an A− for schools; its weakest is a C− for walkability. On hazard risk, just 74 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. 16% of the land in Osceola is conserved, against 3.8% in Wisconsin’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Kettle Moraine State Forest, at 2,367 acres with 14.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Osceola has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
How Osceola grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Osceola is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 7% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.3 of 20; 0.8% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsA−Open →Jobs & income$103K median household incomeB+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $366K, 4.9 years of the Fond du Lac metro’s $74K median household incomeB−Open →HealthSSM Health St. Agnes Hospital-Fond Du Lac 12.6 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsLess open land and fewer trails than mostCOpen →HistoryBelow the middle of the towns comparedC+Open →Civic life2.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Osceola stand out
Where Osceola beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Osceola for work
Where Osceola’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
494jobs based in Osceola
4%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2024
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Osceola.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Very low risk in Osceola, with inland flooding at the top
7risk score of 100
Compared with 93% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Osceola is lower. Flood insurance has paid one claim locally since 2025. FEMA puts 43% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 20% to tornadoes.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 2025
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsA−
On state tests, Osceola’s schools beat 77% of Wisconsin districts
77%of WI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shepherd of the Hills School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 76 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Osceola’s workers commute out
4%work in town
For most workers, Osceola is a place to come home to: only 4% work in town. Its average trip to work is 33 minutes. The top destinations are Fond du Lac (18%), West Bend (6%) and Campbellsport (3%). Employers in Osceola added 36 jobs between 2014 and 2024, to 494.
| Osceola | Typical Wisconsin town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $103,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Osceola4%
Fond du Lac18%
West Bend6%
Campbellsport3%
Oshkosh3%
17 mi
median commute distance
494
jobs based in Osceola
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 18% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2024 · ACS
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Osceola than in Wisconsin
53.2median age · WI overall 40.2
The share of residents in Osceola who are under 18 is 20%. Adults 18 to 34 are 11% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 30% of residents (19% statewide). For Osceola, the midpoint age is 53.2 years. Four-year graduates account for a quarter of adults 25 and older here, against 33% across Wisconsin.
| Osceola | Typical Wisconsin town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.2 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 20% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 32% | 29% |
OsceolaWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
24%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school33%
Some college17%
Associate’s22%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
41% women, 59% men
About 143 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±7.5 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Osceola | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.5% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.1% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.3% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.1% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 23.9% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.3% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.2% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.4% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.1% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.8% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.2% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Osceola
45″snow a winter
The peak summer temperature in Osceola is 81°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–29°
Spring34–54°
Summer57–78°
Fall39–58°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC
Conservation land takes up 15.5% of Osceola
15.5%conserved
Across 1 park or preserve run 16 miles of trail. Osceola’s concentration of trails works out to 0.5 miles per square mile.
15.5%
conserved · 3,568 of 23,051 acres
16 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kettle Moraine State Forest | 14.9 mi | 2,367 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
Residents of Osceola are healthier than 51% of U.S. towns
51%of U.S. towns are less healthyB−Health Grade
For adults in Osceola, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 30%. Against the Wisconsin average, Osceola comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 2.
| Osceola | Typical Wisconsin town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
2 better28 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Osceola | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.9% | 12.1% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.7% | 6.7% |
| More adults with obesity | 43.6% | 37.7% |
SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital-Fond Du Lac
12.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Osceola
18pages on Osceola
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 47 attractions →Lake Winnebago and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Osceola. Close and well known come first.
25 mi LakeLake Winnebago
13 mi Park & preserveKettle Moraine State Forest
40 mi MuseumUSS Cobia
28 mi MuseumEAA Aviation Museum
26 mi Theme parkBlue Harbor Resort
26 mi MuseumJohn Michael Kohler Arts CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Winnebago: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Kettle Moraine State Forest: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · USS Cobia: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · EAA Aviation Museum: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Blue Harbor Resort: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · John Michael Kohler Arts Center: self, CC BY-SA 2.5
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Osceola: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Osceola, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKettle Moraine Correctional Institution water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers85% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown of Osceola Recycling Center (Town Garage)Drop-offTown 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 hereTown of Osceola ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes53010, 53019, 53079, 5301153010 73% · 53019 17% · 53079 6% · 53011 5%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
2 within 15 miles of the center of Osceola
Marian UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Fond Du Lac12.1 mi$35,178 tuitionMoraine Park Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fond du Lac12.3 mi$4,819 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Osceola residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Osceola
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Osceola is a town in Fond du Lac County, in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 1,836. The unincorporated communities of Armstrong, Chinatown, Dundee, and Waucousta are located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,040 ft
- Area code
- 920
Osceola’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Osceola.
MitchellEdenForestAuburnOsceola
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola | — | — | B− | — | A− | B− |
| Mitchell | — | — | C | — | B+ | B |
| Eden | — | — | B | — | A− | B− |
| Forest | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Auburn | — | — | C | — | A− | B− |
Osceola, Mitchell, Eden and Auburn have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Osceola, Mitchell, Eden and Auburn report no FBI crime data of their own. Forest isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Osceola with a neighbor →
Questions about Osceola
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Osceola, WI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
Osceola is in here
Say something about Osceola.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.