Jelly Belly Plant, 2007
Pleasant Prairie’s story
190 years in pictures
Census counts: 11,961 in 1990, 21,250 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1892 on.
- 1836Pleasant Prairie is settled
Photo: Garrison Point · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
21,798
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$465K
+7.1% in a year
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
44.4
years
Jobs based here
18,277
A job hub
TownGrade
C+
#311 of 357 in WI
Is Pleasant Prairie a good place to live?
Pleasant Prairie's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades C+, 311th among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. The median household earns $104K. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $465K for a typical one and 5.7 times the Kenosha metro’s $81K median household income. The biggest place to walk is Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area, 754 acres with 1.5 miles of trail. Only 6 of the 362 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher January low than Pleasant Prairie. 41% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Pleasant Prairie, against 32% in Wisconsin’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns.
What makes Pleasant Prairie stand out
Where Pleasant Prairie beats most towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 16,799 people come to Pleasant Prairie for work
Where Pleasant Prairie’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
18,277jobs based in Pleasant Prairie
14%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Pleasant Prairie grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Pleasant Prairie is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 5% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listA+Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsC−Open →HealthAurora Medical Center Kenosha 4.8 miles awayB+Open →SafetyC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 4.5% of households have no car; 2.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10 miles of trailsB+Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life2.1 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 Pleasant Prairie: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pleasant Prairie, and how to reach them.
PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPleasant Prairie Water Utility1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
SchoolsWestosha Central High School DistrictKenosha School District2 districts serve Pleasant Prairie; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 Pleasant Prairie ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes53158, 53142, 5314353158 83% · 53142 15% · 53143 3%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 Pleasant Prairie.
Pleasant Prairie draws workers from Kenosha and beyond, is safe by national standards but not by Wisconsin’s and has cooler summers than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About one in seven working residents works right in Pleasant Prairie
18,277 jobs are based in Pleasant Prairie, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 24% of working residents cross a state line to work, Waukegan among the top destinations.
Most working residents leave Pleasant Prairie for work: only 14% work in town. Since 2013, Pleasant Prairie has added 7,273 jobs, to 18,277 in 2023. The top destinations are Kenosha (23%), Milwaukee (4%) and Racine (3%).
14%work in town
| Pleasant Prairie | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 8.2% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 6.3% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Pleasant Prairie14%
Kenosha23%
Milwaukee4%
Racine3%
Waukegan3%
13 mi
median commute distance
18,277
jobs based in Pleasant Prairie
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 51% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Pleasant Prairie fall behind 79% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Kenosha School District. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Lakeview Technology Academy, with 391 students.
21%of WI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Prairie ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 542 | B+ |
| Lakeview Technology AcademyLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 391 | A |
| Prairie Lane ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 451 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Pleasant Prairie faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 95% of U.S. communities. Since 2009, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pleasant Prairie.
5risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
11
paid flood claims since 2009
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, Pleasant Prairie earns a C−
The median rent in Pleasant Prairie is $1,458 a month. Typical home values rose 7.1% in the year to September 2026.
$465KZillow home value
| Pleasant Prairie | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,458 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Pleasant Prairie$465K
Wisconsin$337K
Market temperature
35
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
+7.1%
value change, 1 year
17
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB+
Pleasant Prairie ranks healthier than 73% of the country’s towns
Against the 7,994 U.S. towns with household incomes like Pleasant Prairie’s, it is healthier than 57%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
Pleasant Prairie beats the Wisconsin average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Pleasant Prairie.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Pleasant Prairie | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 13% | 14% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 9.2% | 10% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
7 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Pleasant Prairie | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.2% | 12.1% |
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha
4.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
66th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
#200for trails in WI
| Pleasant Prairie | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
6%
conserved · 1,283 of 21,428 acres
9.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prairie Springs Park | 3.2 mi | 516 |
| 2. Chiwaukee Prairie State Natural Area | 1.5 mi | 754 |
| 3. Des Plaines River Open Space Land | 1 mi | 693 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Pleasant Prairie has four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 82°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 78% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 15.8°.
Pleasant Prairie has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. About 36 inches of snow falls in a winter. Pleasant Prairie’s July high is 82°F.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring37–56°
Summer60–80°
Fall43–61°
Oct 26
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Pleasant Prairie sees more crime per resident than 58% of U.S. towns
At 22.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 76% of Wisconsin’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 268 to 296 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
42%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Pleasant Prairie1.9
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Pleasant Prairie11.6
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
42nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
24th
percentile among WI towns
42
violent crimes reported in 2025
254
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Who lives here
An age mix much like Wisconsin’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Wisconsin average. 19% of Pleasant Prairie residents are under 18. Pleasant Prairie has grown 2.6% since 2020, to 21,798 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
44.4median age · WI 40.2
| Pleasant Prairie | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 19% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 44.4 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
Pleasant PrairieWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school24%
Some college19%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s27%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.9 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Pleasant Prairie | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.8% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.4% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.7% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.2% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.3% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23.9% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.5% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.3% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Nearby attractions
All 179 attractions →Six Flags Great America and 47 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pleasant Prairie. Close and well known come first.
Big draw11 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great America3.0M visitors a year
36 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
33 mi MuseumMcDonald's #1 Store Museum
36 mi Stadium & arenaFiserv Forum
36 mi MuseumMilwaukee Art Museum350K visitors a year
39 mi MuseumIllinois Railway MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Six Flags Great America: Feather Better, CC BY 4.0 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · McDonald's #1 Store Museum: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Fiserv Forum: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Milwaukee Art Museum: Michael Hicks (Mulad), CC BY 2.0 · Illinois Railway Museum: The original uploader was Slambo at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pleasant Prairie
19pages on Pleasant Prairie
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 79% of WI districts · 4 schoolsSafetyC+1.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than WI on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$465K typical home · up 7.1% in a yearWork & commuteA−$104K median household income · 18,277 jobs hereNatural hazardsA+FEMA risk higher than 5% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Pleasant Prairie
Herzing University-KenoshaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Kenosha5.2 mi$13,450 tuitionGateway Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kenosha5.9 mi$4,956 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-ParksideUniversity or college · Public · Kenosha8.5 mi$8,270 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Pleasant Prairie residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
About Pleasant Prairie
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Pleasant Prairie is a village in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States. Located along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan, the village is south of the city of Kenosha and north of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. It is part of the Kenosha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Chicago–Naperville, IL–IN–WI Combined Statistical Area. Among its notable features are the RecPlex and Chiwaukee Prairie. Pleasant Prairie was home to 21,250 people at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 34 sq mi
- Elevation
- 696 ft
- ZIP code
- 53158
Pleasant Prairie’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Pleasant Prairie.
KenoshaBristolWinthrop HarborBenton TownshipPleasant Prairie
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Prairie | #311 | C+ | C− | C+ | C− | B+ |
| Kenosha | #333 | C− | C+ | C+ | C− | C+ |
| Bristol | #31 | A | C | — | A− | A− |
Bristol reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Pleasant Prairie with a neighbor →
Questions about Pleasant Prairie
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pleasant Prairie, WI a good place to live?
Pleasant Prairie grades C+ overall, better than 36% of U.S. towns and #311 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B+ for health, C+ for safety and C− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Pleasant Prairie, 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−.