Maiden Rock, Lake Pepin, Wisconsin side, 1865
Pepin’s story
169 years in pictures
Census counts: 369 in 1890, 731 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1865 and 3 maps from 1932 on.
- 1857Pepin is settled
PepinWI
Population
743
2025 Census estimate · +1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$287K
+9.9% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
59.0
years
Jobs based here
185
A commuter town
Is Pepin a good place to live?
37% of residents are 65 or older in Pepin, above both the Wisconsin town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 4 have a higher median age than Pepin. Pepin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Pepin stand out
Where Pepin beats most towns.
Small town
743 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 Pepin: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pepin, and how to reach them.
PowerPierce-Pepin Coop ServicesEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterPepin Waterworks5 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Pepin’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 Pepin ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5475954759 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 Pepin.
Who lives here
Older than Wisconsin overall
People 65 and older are 37% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 10% of residents (22% statewide). 15% of residents are under 18 in Pepin, against 21% in Wisconsin’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. 25% of Pepin adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
59median age · WI 40.2
| Pepin | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 15% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 25% | 32% | 29% |
PepinWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
26%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school35%
Some college24%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s12%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.5 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Pepin | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.3% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.5% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.2% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 26.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.1% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.6% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.4% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.9% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.4% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Schools
The schools Pepin’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Pepin Area School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pepin ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 115 | B+ |
| Pepin HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 110 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
Most of Pepin’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Pepin for work: only 6% work in town. Jobs based in Pepin fell to 185 in 2023, 86 fewer than in 2013. The average trip to work in Pepin is 27 minutes.
6%work in town
| Pepin | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 17% | 12% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Pepin6%
Durand10%
Menomonie6%
Wabasha5%
Waubeek5%
25 mi
median commute distance
185
jobs based in Pepin
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Pepin, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Pepin has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 8 have a higher July high than Pepin.
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall38–59°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
A typical Pepin home is worth about $287K
The typical Pepin home is worth about $287,000, up 9.9% in a year, 15% below the Wisconsin typical home. Pepin’s median rent is $844 a month.
$287KZillow home value
| Pepin | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $844 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Pepin$287K
Wisconsin$337K
+9.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Pepin than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
41% of adults have high blood pressure in Pepin. Among 358 Wisconsin towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Pepin. 22% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Pepin.
| Pepin | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Pepin | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.3% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.4% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.6% | 8.6% |
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
6.3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Pepin faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities. Since 1997, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pepin.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 1997
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 459 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sportsman's Landing | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pepin
18pages on Pepin
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Pepin; the nearest are
University of Wisconsin-StoutUniversity or college · Public · Menomonie31.7 mi$10,701 in-state tuitionRochester Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rochester, MN32.6 mi$6,389 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Pepin residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Pepin for work
Where Pepin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
185jobs based in Pepin
6%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Pepin
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pepin, WI a good place to live?
Pepin has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.