Mitchell-Rountree House, 1837
Platteville’s story
Platteville in pictures
Census counts: 2,537 in 1870, 11,836 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1837 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Downspec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,554
2025 Census estimate · +2.4% since 2020
Median home value
$340K
Census ACS
Household income
$82K
median
Median age
45.0
years
Jobs based here
357
A commuter town
Is Platteville a good place to live?
The best of Platteville’s subject grades are a B+ for schools and a B for walkability; the weakest is a C− for cost of living. On cost of living, just 79 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Platteville’s average trip to work is 19 minutes, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. On civic life, just 76 of Wisconsin’s 869 towns do worse. Memorial Park, at 24 acres with 1.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Platteville has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Platteville stand out
Where Platteville beats most towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Platteville for work
Where Platteville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
357jobs based in Platteville
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Platteville grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Platteville is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 6% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $340K, 5.1 years of the Platteville area’s $67K median household incomeC−Open →SchoolsBeat 68% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 6.4% of households have no car; 7.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Jobs & income$82K median household incomeBOpen →HealthHealthier than 55% of U.S. towns; Southwest Health Center 3.2 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History11 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Platteville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Platteville, and how to reach them.
PowerScenic Rivers Energy Coop15.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPlatteville WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown 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 Platteville ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5381853818 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 Platteville.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Platteville, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 94% of U.S. communities. Since 1993, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Platteville.
6risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
paid flood claims since 1993
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Platteville has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Platteville for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Platteville grew to 357 in 2023, 69 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Platteville (23%), Dubuque (12%) and Lancaster (6%).
1%work in town
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Platteville1%
Platteville23%
Dubuque12%
Lancaster6%
Madison6%
17 mi
median commute distance
357
jobs based in Platteville
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 61% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Platteville
Platteville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 11° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Older than Wisconsin overall
People 65 and older are 23% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). 40% of Platteville adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more, above both the Wisconsin town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Platteville’s median age is 45 years.
45median age · WI 40.2
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 32% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 45 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 23% | 21% | 22% |
PlattevilleWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school22%
Some college20%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s21%
Graduate19%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Platteville | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.8% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.3% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.2% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 22.3% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.7% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.4% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18.6% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,600, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB−
A smaller share of adults have high blood pressure in Platteville than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
26% of Platteville adults have high blood pressure. Among 358 Wisconsin towns, just 10 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Platteville. 9% of Platteville adults have diabetes.
55%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
7 better20 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Platteville | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.3% | 8.6% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 20.2% | 26.6% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 9% | 6.7% |
Southwest Health Center
3.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.9%conserved
| Platteville | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.9% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
0.9%
conserved · 172 of 19,124 acres
4.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | 1.1 mi | 24 |
| 2. Ipswich Prairie State Natural Area | — | 5 |
| 3. Mound View Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 17 attractions →Charles Mound and 10 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Platteville. Close and well known come first.
20 mi MountainCharles Mound
37 mi National MonumentEffigy Mounds National Monument57K visitors a year
16 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year21 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum
16 mi TheatreFive Flags Center
40 mi MuseumFort CrawfordSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Effigy Mounds National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Crawford: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Platteville
19pages on Platteville
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Platteville
About 6 of every 100 Platteville residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
Famous people from Platteville
11 notable people were born in Platteville.
C
Cleve CartmillAmerican journalist · 1908–1964About 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)
- Area
- 6.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 991 ft
- ZIP code
- 53818
- Area code
- 608
Platteville’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Platteville.
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platteville | — | — | C− | — | B+ | B− |
| Smelser | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harrison | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lima | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Platteville has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Platteville reports no FBI crime data of its own. Smelser, Harrison and Lima aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Platteville with a neighbor →
Questions about Platteville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Platteville, WI expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.