PlainWisconsinDowntown1, 2007
Plain’s story
176 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007.
- 1850Plain is settled
PlainWI
Photo: User:Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
717
2025 Census estimate · −3.6% since 2020
Typical home
$310K
+7.5% in a year
Household income
$96K
median
Median age
39.7
years
Jobs based here
524
A job hub
Is Plain a good place to live?
Plain has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Plain stand out
Where Plain beats most towns.
Small town
717 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 Plain: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plain, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPlain Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Plain’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 Plain ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5357753577 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 Plain.
Work & commute
A job hub: Plain has 1.5 jobs for every working resident and draws in 500 commuters
Plain’s middle household income comes in at $96,000. Only 7% of working residents stay in Plain for work; the rest commute out. Employers in Plain added 92 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 524. The median commute is under 21 miles.
7%work in town
| Plain | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 10% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Plain7%
Madison14%
Reedsburg10%
Sauk City5%
Spring Green4%
21 mi
median commute distance
524
jobs based in Plain
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Plain’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the River Valley School District. One of its 3 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. Plain’s only public school teaches 97 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Valley Early Learning CenterLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–K | Grades PK–K | 97 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Plain: snowy winters and pleasant summers
In Plain, the peak summer temperature is 82°F, against 82°F in Wisconsin’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–31°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Plain is inland flooding, at a high overall level
FEMA puts nearly two thirds of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 13% to cold waves. In Plain, the FEMA hazard score is 66 of 100, above both Wisconsin’s towns (23 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). Federal disaster aid has reached households in Plain after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2026.
66risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
More of Plain’s adults get no exercise outside work than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
Only 7 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Plain. 18% of adults smoke cigarettes locally.
| Plain | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 26% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better19 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Plain | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.8% | 6.6% |
| More smokers | 17.7% | 13.6% |
Sauk Prairie Hospital
13.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Plain looks like Wisconsin by age
For residents in Plain, the share who are under 18 is 25%. By age, Plain looks like Wisconsin: each broad group is within 4 points. This Wisconsin town has lost 3.6% of its people since 2020, down to 717 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Here, 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 33% in Wisconsin as a whole.
39.7median age · WI 40.2
| Plain | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 39.7 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
PlainWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school32%
Some college20%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 120 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.2 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Plain | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.4% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 17.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.2% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.4% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.3% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.5% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.5% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 20% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.1% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Housing
A home in Plain is worth about $310K, on Zillow’s estimate
Plain’s going rate for rent stands at $893 a month. Home values are up 7.5% over the year to September 2026. In Plain, 79% of households live in a home they own.
$310KZillow home value
| Plain | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $893 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Plain$310K
Wisconsin$337K
+7.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 2.2% of Plain
0.4 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve. Parks and preserves in Plain: one, of 8 acres.
2.2%conserved
| Plain | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.2% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
2.2%
conserved · 13 of 577 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Plain Municipal Park | 0.1 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 26 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Plain. Close and well known come first.
35 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
19 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
28 mi Canyon & gorgeDells of the Wisconsin River
19 mi State parkDevil's Lake State Park26 mi Theme parkNoah's Ark Water Park
36 mi Stadium & arenaKohl CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dells of the Wisconsin River: atramos, CC BY 2.0 · Devil's Lake State Park: CrispAir at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Plain
18pages on Plain
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Plain; the nearest are
Edgewood CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison34.7 mi$35,860 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison35.1 mi$11,603 in-state tuitionSouthwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fennimore36.5 mi$4,904 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Plain residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A job hub
Every workday, about 500 people come to Plain for work
Where Plain’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
524jobs based in Plain
7%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Plain
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Plain is a village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 749 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1850
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 810 ft
- ZIP code
- 53577
- Area code
- 608
Questions about Plain
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Plain, WI a good place to live?
Plain has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.