Pottawatomie Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Washington’s story
Washington in pictures
The archive holds 2 maps from 1960 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →WashingtonWI
A town of 780.
2 bordering townsMap →
Pottawatomie Lighthouse · Public domain
Population
780
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Median home value
$322K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
64.7
years
Jobs based here
134
A commuter town
Is Washington a good place to live?
49% of residents are 65 or older in Washington, above both the Wisconsin town median (20%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). No town among the 363 in Wisconsin we compare has a higher median age than Washington. Its National Register listings include Rock Island Historic District and Pottawatomie Lighthouse. Washington has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Washington stand out
Where Washington beats most towns.
Small town
780 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Liberty GroveFairbanks TownshipWashington
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Washington: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Washington, and how to reach them.
PowerWashington Island El CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Washington’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Washington ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5424654246 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Washington.
Schools
The schools Washington’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Washington Island School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Island ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 38 | A− |
| Washington Island HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 23 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Washington is lower than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
Washington’s FEMA risk score is 1 of 100, against 23 of 100 in Wisconsin’s towns and 44 of 100 across U.S. towns.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
In Washington, the average trip to work runs shorter than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
The average trip to work in Washington is 11 minutes. Most working residents leave Washington for work: only 9% work in town. The median household income in Washington is $70,000.
9%work in town
| Washington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 11 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Washington9%
Liberty Grove23%
Sister Bay15%
Gibraltar9%
Sturgeon Bay6%
20 mi
median commute distance
134
jobs based in Washington
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Washington, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Washington has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Washington’s July high is 76°F.
59″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–28°
Spring31–48°
Summer56–74°
Fall41–55°
Oct 14
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Washington is
Washington beats the Wisconsin average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 11% of Washington adults report frequent mental distress. Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Washington.
| Washington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 30% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
17 better9 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Washington | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.5% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.7% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.7% | 8.6% |
OSF St. Francis Hospital and Medical Group
29.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Washington has set aside 1.1% of its land for conservation
22 miles of trail in 17 parks and preserves. Rock Island State Park, at 995 acres with 10.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
1.1%conserved
| Washington | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
1.1%
conserved · 1,984 of 179,859 acres
22 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rock Island State Park | 10.2 mi | 995 |
| 2. Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge | 3.4 mi | 480 |
| 3. Richter Community Forest Preserve | 1.3 mi | 159 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Washington
17pages on Washington
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Washington; the nearest are
Bay de Noc Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Escanaba, MI30.4 mi$5,712 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Green BayUniversity or college · Public · Green Bay82.1 mi$8,700 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Washington residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Washington for work
Where Washington’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
134jobs based in Washington
9%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
8 places in Washington on the National Register of Historic Places.
Questions about Washington
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Washington, WI a good place to live?
Washington has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.