Ploverwistower, 2010
Plover’s story
182 years in pictures
Census counts: 412 in 1880, a low of 200 in 1950, 13,519 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
- 1844Plover is settled
PloverWI
Population
1,565
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Median home value
$317K
Census ACS
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
55.0
years
Jobs based here
484
A commuter town
Is Plover a good place to live?
Plover’s best subject grades are a B+ for health and incomes. The biggest park or preserve is Buena Vista Wildlife Area, at 392 acres. Plover has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Plover stand out
Where Plover beats most towns.
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | Plover | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10% | 11.4% |
HealthB+
Beats WI on 3 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1844
A long history
A history going back 182 years.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Plover for work
Where Plover’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
484jobs based in Plover
1%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Plover grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Plover is from typical.
HealthAspirus Stevens Point Hospital & Clinics 6.5 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & income$90K median household incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $317K, 4.2 years of the Stevens Point area’s $76K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsBehind 55% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7% conserved landB+Open →History4 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life1.6 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 Plover: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plover, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Public Service17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPlover WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offPortage County Solid Waste Department, 3 miOpenStreetMap
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 Plover ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54467, 54482, 5449454467 55% · 54482 32% · 54494 12%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 Plover.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of Plover’s workers commute out
The top destinations are Stevens Point (29%), Plover (10%) and Wisconsin Rapids (6%). Commuting out is the norm in the town: 1% of working residents work locally. Since 2013, Plover has lost 108 jobs, to 484 in 2023. Its typical journey to work comes in at 16 minutes.
1%work in town
| Plover | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Plover1%
Stevens Point29%
Plover10%
Wisconsin Rapids6%
Wausau4%
12 mi
median commute distance
484
jobs based in Plover
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 37% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Plover is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
The share of adults in Plover who sleep under 7 hours is 32%, against 32% in Wisconsin’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. In Plover, 30% of adults have high blood pressure.
73%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Plover | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
3 better29 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Plover | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.9% | 6.7% |
Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital & Clinics
6.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
Young adults are less common in Plover than in Wisconsin
College graduates make up nearly a third of adults 25 and older, against 33% across Wisconsin. Adults 18 to 34 are 13% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 26% of residents (19% statewide). Plover’s median age stands at 55 years, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 42.1 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. For residents locally, the share who are under 18 is 17%.
55median age · WI 40.2
| Plover | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 17% | 21% | 22% |
PloverWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
25%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school27%
Some college22%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.8 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Plover | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.9% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.9% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.5% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.1% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.3% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.8% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.8% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.2% | 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
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Plover’s year
July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 7° and about 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–28°
Spring32–55°
Summer56–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
Plover keeps 6.7% of its land conserved
5.5 miles of trail wind through 6 parks and preserves. In Plover, the concentration of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves here: 6, covering 725 acres.
6.7%conserved
| Plover | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.7% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
6.7%
conserved · 1,723 of 25,700 acres
5.5 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Little Plover River Fishery Area | 0.4 mi | 246 |
| 2. Pacawa Park | 0.3 mi | 8 |
| 3. Buena Vista Wildlife Area | — | 392 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
The biggest natural risk in Plover is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
Plover’s risk rating from FEMA stands at 51 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 48% come from inland flooding and 26% from cold waves.
51risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Plover
19pages on Plover
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Plover
University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point6.7 mi$9,488 in-state tuitionMid-State Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wisconsin Rapids10.3 mi$5,002 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Plover residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Famous people from Plover
4 notable people were born in Plover.
About Plover
Village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Plover is a village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. A central hub of the Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, it is the most populous village and the second-largest municipality in the county. With a population of 13,519 at the 2020 United States census and an estimated 14,531 in 2026, Plover has emerged as a major regional center for agriculture, food processing, and "Silent Sports" recreation. Situated within the "Central Sands" region of Wisconsin, Plover features a unique topography defined by a flat glacial outwash plain that transitions into rugged terminal moraines to the east. The village is known for its high-density irrigated cropland, lush recreational trails…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1844
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,070 ft
- ZIP code
- 54467
Plover’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Plover.
PloverLinwoodStevens PointGrantBuena VistaStocktonWhitingPlover
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plover | — | — | B | — | B− | B+ |
| Plover | #228 | B | B− | B | B− | A− |
| Linwood | — | — | B− | — | B− | B+ |
| Stevens Point | #212 | B | B− | B | B− | B+ |
| Grant | — | — | A− | — | C | B− |
| Buena Vista | — | — | B− | — | B− | B |
| Stockton | #156 | B+ | B+ | — | B− | B+ |
| Whiting | — | — | A− | — | B− | A− |
Plover, Linwood, Grant, Buena Vista and Whiting have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Plover, Linwood, Grant, Buena Vista, Stockton and Whiting report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Plover with a neighbor →
Questions about Plover
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Plover, WI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Plover, WI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Joe Pavelski and Walt Wilmot.