Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 504.
Only 5 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Shields. 17% of the land in Shields is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest place to walk is Mud Lake Wildlife Area, 3,008 acres with 1 miles of trail. Shields has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1864 and 4 maps from 1891 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Shields, 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 Shields.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Shields for work: only 1% work in town. Shields’ average trip to work is 29 minutes, above both Wisconsin’s towns (22 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). The median household income in Shields is $98,000.
| Shields | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $98,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mud Lake Wildlife Area | 1 mi | 3,008 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Shields has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 11° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Shields beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 42% of Shields adults have obesity.
| Shields | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Shields | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.6% | 6.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.7% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Shields
About 3 of every 100 Shields residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Shields’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Shields is a town in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 503 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Richwood is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Shields has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.