Potosi Brewery · National Register of Historic Places
Potosi’s story
184 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1852.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1842Potosi is settled
PotosiWI
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: kevin schuchmann · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
649
2025 Census estimate · +0.8% since 2020
Median home value
$188K
Census ACS
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
43.6
years
Jobs based here
125
A commuter town
Is Potosi a good place to live?
Potosi’s average trip to work is 28 minutes, above both Wisconsin’s towns (22 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Its National Register listings include St. John Mine and Potosi Brewery. Potosi has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Potosi stand out
Where Potosi beats most towns.
Small town
649 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
TennysonPotosi
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Potosi: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Potosi, and how to reach them.
PowerScenic Rivers Energy Coop15.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTennyson Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Potosi’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 Potosi ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5382053820 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 Potosi.
Work & commute
Most of Potosi’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Potosi for work: only 8% work in town. Since 2013, Potosi has added 34 jobs, to 125 in 2023. Potosi’s median household income is $69,000, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at $87,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000.
8%work in town
| Potosi | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 10% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Potosi8%
Platteville14%
Dubuque13%
Madison6%
Lancaster5%
14 mi
median commute distance
125
jobs based in Potosi
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Potosi’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Potosi School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potosi ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 166 | A− |
| Potosi HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 107 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Potosi faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Potosi
Potosi has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 11° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–30°
Spring37–57°
Summer60–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 19
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Potosi is
Potosi beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 31% of adults get no exercise outside work in Potosi.
| Potosi | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better29 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Potosi | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 77.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.4% | 8.6% |
Finley Hospital
9.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$330Kmedian sale price
| Potosi | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $775 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 74% | 73% |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 16 attractions →Effigy Mounds National Monument and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Potosi. Close and well known come first.
29 mi National MonumentEffigy Mounds National Monument57K visitors a year
27 mi MountainCharles Mound
13 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
13 mi TheatreFive Flags Center24 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum
33 mi MuseumFort CrawfordSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Effigy Mounds National Monument: National Park Service, Public domain · Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · 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 Potosi
18pages on Potosi
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Potosi
University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleUniversity or college · Public · Platteville11.7 mi$8,644 in-state tuitionEmmaus Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Dubuque, IA12.2 mi$20,800 tuitionClarke UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Dubuque, IA12.2 mi$40,910 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Potosi residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Potosi for work
Where Potosi’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
125jobs based in Potosi
8%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Potosi on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Potosi
4 notable people were born in Potosi.
About Potosi
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Potosi is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 646 at the 2020 census. The village is in the Town of Potosi.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 814 ft
- ZIP code
- 53820
Questions about Potosi
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Potosi, WI a good place to live?
Potosi has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
What is Potosi, WI known for?
4 notable people were born here, including William Josiah MacDonald and Alexander Mackenzie.