Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Platteville's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades B, 208th among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. It has 11 miles of trail and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 82% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 18 places on the National Register. 24% of residents live below the poverty line in Platteville, against 6.3% in Wisconsin’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Mitchell-Rountree House and J. H. Rountree Mansion. Among 362 Wisconsin towns, just 1 have a lower median age than Platteville.
Where Platteville beats most towns.
Its founding year, 1828, comes before those of 97% of the Wisconsin towns we grade with a known year.
Census counts: 2,537 in 1870, 11,836 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1837 and 3 maps from 1902 on.
18 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Platteville is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Platteville, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Platteville.
Platteville is shaped by its college students, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and is safe by national standards but not by Wisconsin’s.
Its public schools are run by the Platteville School District. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Platteville High, with 479 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westview ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 1–4 | Grades 1–4 | 443 | A− |
| Platteville HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 479 | C+ |
| Platteville MiddleTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 417 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
11 miles of trail in 15 parks and preserves. Platteville’s trail density is 1.8 miles per square mile. Memorial Park, at 69 acres with 1.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.8 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | 1.6 mi | 69 |
| 2. Knollwood Park | 1 mi | 18 |
| 3. Mound View Park | 0.7 mi | 26 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Platteville.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
58.3% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 43.7% across Wisconsin.
40% of Platteville households own their home. Typical home values rose 4.7% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Platteville is $863 a month.
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 40% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $863 a month | $1,080 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
July afternoons average 82.2°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 83% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 10.7°.
Platteville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 11°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among 362 Wisconsin towns, just 1 have a lower median household income than Platteville. 32% of working residents work locally in Platteville. The top destinations are Dubuque (7%), Madison (6%) and Lancaster (3%).
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 32% | 8.2% | 8% |
| Median household income | $43,000 | $88,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 12% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
At 23.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 83% of Wisconsin’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 207 to 120 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Against the 3,365 U.S. towns with household incomes like Platteville’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Platteville beats the Wisconsin average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. Only 1 of the 357 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Platteville.
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Platteville | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.4% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 17.7% | 26.6% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 9.6% | 6.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Platteville. Close and well known come first.
19 mi MountainCharles Mound
38 mi National MonumentEffigy Mounds National Monument57K visitors a year
37 mi State parkBlue Mound State Park
19 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
40 mi MuseumLittle Norway, Wisconsin22 mi MuseumChicago AthenaeumCharles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Effigy Mounds National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Blue Mound State Park: Mailseth at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Little Norway, Wisconsin: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY 2.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Platteville
College town 42 of every 100 Platteville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
18 places in Platteville on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Platteville.
City in Grant County, Wisconsin
Platteville is the largest city in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,836 at the 2020 census. It is located atop the greater Platte River valley in the southern Driftless Region of Wisconsin, an area known for its karst topography and rolling hills. It is home to the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. It is the principal city of the Platteville micropolitan statistical area, which has an estimated population of 51,938.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Platteville grades B overall, better than 62% of U.S. towns and #208 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B for health, C+ for safety and B+ for schools.
Wisconsin has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Platteville sits nearer the middle.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
5 notable people were born here, including Cleve Cartmill and Tony Clark.
