Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Rutland’s subject grades are an A for incomes and history and an A− for health; the weakest is a D for walkability. Only 71 of Wisconsin’s 874 towns score higher on health. Rutland's schools outperform 72% of the state's. On walkability, just 74 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. 13% of the land in Rutland is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Only 65 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score higher on history. The biggest place to walk is Badfish Creek Wildlife Area, 1,182 acres with 5.2 miles of trail. Rutland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Rutland beats most towns.
Pond, Daniel, Farmhouse| Widest gap | Rutland | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.3% | 12.1% |
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1845 and 4 maps from 1889 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Rutland is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rutland. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
14 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
25 mi State parkAztalan State Park
13 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas Zoo
14 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical Gardens
14 mi MuseumOverture Center for the ArtsCamp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Aztalan State Park: Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Henry Vilas Zoo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 · Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Chief-O at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Overture Center for the Arts: Chief-O of English Wikipedia, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rutland, 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 Rutland.
Just over a fifth of Rutland adults get no exercise outside work. The share of adults in Rutland who sleep under 7 hours is 29%, against 32% in Wisconsin’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. Among adults here, 20% binge drink and 30% have high blood pressure.
| Rutland | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| What stands out | Rutland | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.3% | 12.1% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.2% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The national flood insurance program has paid 4 claims in Rutland since 1981. Compared with 87% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage here is lower. 47% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 23%.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The top destinations are Madison (43%), Fitchburg (7%) and Oregon (7%). Employers in Rutland added 85 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 323. The town’s median household income is $105,000. Half commute less than 14 miles.
| Rutland | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 15% | 12% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Rutland’s peak summer temperature stands at 82°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Wisconsin has 33% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 39%. Adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide). In Rutland, the midpoint age is 47.2 years. The town is shrinking: down 3.3% since 2020, to 1,910 residents (2025 estimate).
| Rutland | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.2 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 32% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 21% | 22% |
46% women, 54% men
About 118 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.4 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Rutland | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.2% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.2% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.5% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 17% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 17.1% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.2% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
There are 10 miles of trail across 2 parks and preserves. Rutland’s density of trails comes in at 0.3 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves here: 2, covering 1,829 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Badfish Creek Wildlife Area | 5.2 mi | 1,182 |
| 2. Brooklyn State Wildlife Area | 2.6 mi | 647 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of Rutland
About 3 of every 100 Rutland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Rutland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 places in Rutland on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Rutland is a town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,977 by the US Census Bureau 2020 census The population was 1,887 at the 2000 census. However, for 2021, the Wisconsin Dept. of Administration declared the population of the Town to be 2,032. The unincorporated communities of Rutland and Stone are located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Rutland.
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutland | — | — | B− | — | B+ | A− |
| Stoughton | #133 | A− | C+ | B− | B | A− |
| Brooklyn | — | — | B− | — | A− | A |
| Dunn | #251 | B− | C− | — | C+ | A |
| Oregon | #20 | A+ | C | A | A− | A |
| Union | — | — | C | — | B+ | B+ |
| Oregon | #167 | B+ | C− | — | A− | A− |
Rutland, Brooklyn and Union have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Rutland, Brooklyn, Dunn, Union and Oregon report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Rutland with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
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