Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Ripon’s subject grades is an A− for schools; the weakest is a C for walkability. Among 189 Wisconsin towns, just 3 have a lower level of property crime than Ripon. Ripon has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Ripon beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Ripon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,025 in 1860, 7,863 in 2020. The archive holds 16 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 3 maps from 1918 on.
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.
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Ripon once, in 2008. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 94% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 36% come from inland flooding and 23% from tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In Ripon, the average commute is 20 minutes, below both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). This Wisconsin town had 151 jobs in 2023, up 25 from 2013. For residents here, the share who live below the poverty line is 13%. The top destinations are Ripon (33%), Oshkosh (8%) and Fond du Lac (7%).
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 12% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Adults 35 to 64 are half of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 12% of residents (22% statewide). In Ripon, the age of the median resident is 47.5 years, against 42.1 years in Wisconsin’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Ripon: 15% of residents are 65 or older. A bachelor’s degree or higher: 29% of adults 25 and older, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 21% | 22% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.1 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Ripon | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.3% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.8% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.7% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.9% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.5% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.1% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 16% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.3% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,300, single groups can be off by several points
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
No violent crimes were reported in 2023. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Ripon's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's.
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
7.4 miles of trail. For Ripon, the trail network density is 0.2 miles per square mile.
| Ripon | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.7% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
30% of adults get no exercise outside work in Ripon. The share of adults in Ripon who have obesity: 43%.
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with obesity | 43% | 37.7% |
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.
22 mi LakeLake Winnebago
14 mi MuseumEAA Aviation Museum
34 mi MuseumThe History Museum at the Castle
36 mi MuseumWade House Historic Site
17 mi MuseumOshkosh Public Museum18 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 3 of every 100 Ripon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Ripon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
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)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
5 notable people were born here, including Carrie Chapman Catt and Harry Gordon Selfridge.
