Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Ripon gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $235K for a typical one, or 3.2 years of the Fond du Lac metro’s $74K median household income. It grades A overall, 83rd among Wisconsin's 357 graded towns. On the plus side, its public schools beat 84% of Wisconsin towns on state tests and graduation. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 14 places on the National Register. 34% of working residents work locally in Ripon, above both the Wisconsin town median (8.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Its National Register listings include Little White Schoolhouse and Jacob Woodruff House. Ripon's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Where Ripon beats most towns.
Jacob Woodruff HouseLittle White Schoolhouse is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 2,025 in 1860, 7,863 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 3 maps from 1918 on.
14 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ripon takes its name from Ripon in North Yorkshire, England, 3,760 miles across the Atlantic.
UKUK editionRipon, settled in 1849, takes its name from Ripon, a town in North Yorkshire, England.
Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Ripon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ripon, 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 Ripon.
Ripon pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the Wisconsin norm, pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
4.6 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The trail density in Ripon is 0.9 miles per square mile. Ceresco Prairie Conservancy, at 151 acres with 2.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ceresco Prairie Conservancy | 2.7 mi | 151 |
| 2. Murray Park | — | 30 |
| 3. Barlow Park | — | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its A− for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $235K.
Its public schools are run by the Ripon Area School District. Three of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Ripon High, with 426 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barlow Park Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2 | Grades PK–2 | 398 | – |
| Ripon HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 426 | B+ |
| Quest Charter SchoolTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 157 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 2003, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Ripon.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Ripon grades A overall with a typical home of about $235K, below the Wisconsin typical value; only 24 of the 118 Wisconsin towns graded A− or better can say that. Home values rose 48% in five years, to about $235K, against 31% across Wisconsin.
Ripon’s median rent is $775 a month. Typical home values rose 6.2% in the year to September 2026. 64% of households own their home in Ripon.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $775 a month | $1,080 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 74% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Violent crime is rare: 7 reported in 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Ripon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 10° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 3 of Ripon’s working residents works in town. 13% of Ripon residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Oshkosh (8%), Fond du Lac (7%) and Green Lake (3%).
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,000 | $88,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 6.3% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide); people 65 and older are 23% of residents (19% statewide). 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 16% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 32% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.4 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Among residents 25 to 34, 69% are men (WI 51%).
| Ripon | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.5% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.8% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 14.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.1% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.5% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.5% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.9% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.3% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 11.8% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.7% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Against the 7,345 U.S. towns with household incomes like Ripon’s, it is healthier than 79%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income.
Ripon beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 38% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| What stands out | Ripon | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 83.3% | 85.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Ripon. Close and well known come first.
25 mi LakeLake Winnebago
16 mi MuseumEAA Aviation Museum
36 mi MuseumThe History Museum at the Castle
37 mi MuseumWade House Historic Site
19 mi MuseumOshkosh Public Museum20 mi Zoo & aquariumMenominee Park ZooLake Winnebago: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · EAA Aviation Museum: self, CC BY-SA 2.5 · The History Museum at the Castle: Sirala at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Wade House Historic Site: Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Oshkosh Public Museum: The original uploader was Royalbroil at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5
1 within 15 miles of the center of Ripon
About 12 of every 100 Ripon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
14 places in Ripon on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Ripon.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Ripon ( RIH-pən) is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,863 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon. Ripon is home to the Little White Schoolhouse, where the Republican Party was founded.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Ripon.
Ripon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Ripon reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Ripon with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Ripon grades A overall, better than 85% of U.S. towns and #83 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades B− for health, B+ for safety and A− for schools.
Not for the area. 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 Carrie Chapman Catt and Harry Gordon Selfridge.
