Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Stoughton is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, 133rd of 357 graded towns in Wisconsin, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 81% of the country. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $80K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $432K, 4.9 years of the Madison metro’s $89K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 16 places on the National Register. On walkability, just 86 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Stoughton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 96% of U.S. towns. On history, just 35 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better.
Where Stoughton beats most towns.
Stoughton Universalist Church
Census counts: 70 in 1850, 13,173 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1858 and 3 maps from 1890 on.
16 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Stoughton is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Stoughton. Close and well known come first.
14 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
13 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
21 mi State parkAztalan State Park
13 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas Zoo
13 mi GardenOlbrich Botanical Gardens
13 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 Stoughton, 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 Stoughton.
Stoughton has less tooth loss than most of Wisconsin, is safe by national standards but not by Wisconsin’s and has fewer 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
6.2 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. Stoughton’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, above both the Wisconsin town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Viking Park, at 79 acres with 3.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Viking Park | 3.1 mi | 79 |
| 2. Helen Johnson Trail | 1 mi | 31 |
| 3. Amundson Park | 0.6 mi | 53 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Stoughton Area School District. Two of its 7 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Stoughton High, with 834 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Bluff MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 569 | C+ |
| Stoughton HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 834 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is tooth loss: 6.2% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 9.9% statewide.
29% of Stoughton adults sleep under 7 hours, against 32% in Wisconsin’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns. 30% of adults have high blood pressure in Stoughton. Stoughton beats the Wisconsin average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Stoughton | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.3% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Typical home values rose 4.7% in the year to September 2026. 67% of Stoughton households own their home.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,157 a month | $1,076 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Stoughton weather station records that about 10 days a year reach 90°: fewer than most of the country, but more than 86% of Wisconsin places with climate records. January nights average 11.5°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 86% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 82.6°.
Stoughton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in Stoughton is 12°F. About 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 12°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 83°F | 82°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Stoughton for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Madison (40%), Fitchburg (4%) and Middleton (3%).
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 18% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 8.2% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 6.3% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Wisconsin average. 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 32% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 39.9 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 20% | 18% |
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.5 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Stoughton | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.3% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.8% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.4% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.5% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.6% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 23.3% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.8% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.8% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.5% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
At 17.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 63% of Wisconsin’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 12 reported in 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 residents.
Stoughton’s property crime rate is 11.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Stoughton | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.6 per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
3 within 15 miles of the center of Stoughton
About 3 of every 100 Stoughton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
6% of the town is conserved land, across 18 parks and preserves.
16 places in Stoughton on the National Register of Historic Places.
13 notable people were born in Stoughton.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Stoughton ( STOH-tən) is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. It straddles the Yahara River about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of the state capital, Madison. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,173. Stoughton is part of the Madison metropolitan area. Known for its Norwegian heritage, Stoughton hosts a citywide celebration of Syttende Mai, the Norwegian constitution day. Part of the city's celebration of its Norwegian heritage is the Stoughton Norwegian Dancers dance group, sponsored by Stoughton High School, as well as Norwegian flags and memorabilia displayed throughout the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Stoughton.
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stoughton | #133 | A− | C+ | B− | B | A− |
| Dunkirk | — | — | B− | — | B | A− |
| Pleasant Springs | #66 | A | C+ | — | B | A− |
| Rutland | — | — | B− | — | B+ | A− |
| Dunn | #251 | B− | C− | — | C+ | A |
Dunkirk and Rutland have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Dunkirk, Pleasant Springs, Rutland and Dunn report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Stoughton with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Stoughton grades A− overall, better than 78% of U.S. towns and #133 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and B for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
13 notable people were born here, including William P. Murphy and Andrew Rein.
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