US Highway 12 Baraboo, 2009
West Baraboo’s story
West Baraboo in pictures
Census counts: 613 in 1960, 1,627 in 2020. The archive holds 15 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1901 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,572
2025 Census estimate · −3.6% since 2020
Typical home
$290K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
31.6
years
Jobs based here
913
Balanced
Is West Baraboo a good place to live?
The best of West Baraboo’s subject grades is an A− for walkability; the weakest is a C for schools. On walkability, just 75 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Only 57 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score lower on history. The biggest park or preserve is Village Forest Park, at 49 acres. West Baraboo has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes West Baraboo stand out
Where West Baraboo beats most towns.
A growing town
West Baraboo has grown 11% since 2010
1,414 counted in 2010 and 1,627 in 2020; an estimated 1,572 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How West Baraboo grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far West Baraboo is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.4 of 20; 2.3% of households have no carA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $290K, 3.6 years of the Baraboo area’s $80K median household incomeC+Open →Jobs & income913 jobs based hereB−Open →HealthSSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo 2.1 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landC+Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life0.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Baraboo: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Baraboo, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWest Baraboo WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTrash dayTown site
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 hereVillage of West Baraboo ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP code5391353913 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 West Baraboo.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in West Baraboo, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in West Baraboo since 2008.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2008
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsC
West Baraboo’s schools rank behind 71% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Baraboo School District. Its one school is below.
29%of WI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 284 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
West Baraboo stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with fewer of its residents who are 65 or older
10% of West Baraboo residents are 65 or older, against 20% in Wisconsin’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. The median age in West Baraboo is 31.6 years. West Baraboo has lost 3.6% of its people since 2020, down to 1,572 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
31.6median age · WI 40.2
| West Baraboo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.6 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 10% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 32% | 29% |
West BarabooWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school30%
Some college21%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.8 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| West Baraboo | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 12.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 16.4% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 19% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.1% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.6% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.4% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.5% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.5% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,600, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
West Baraboo has snowy winters and pleasant summers
West Baraboo has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 10° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring34–57°
Summer58–80°
Fall38–59°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Most working residents commute out of West Baraboo
Most working residents leave West Baraboo for work: only 4% work in town. At 19 minutes, West Baraboo’s average trip to work is where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. West Baraboo’s median household income is $61,000.
4%work in town
| West Baraboo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.6% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In West Baraboo4%
Baraboo21%
Madison11%
Lake Delton8%
Delton3%
15 mi
median commute distance
913
jobs based in West Baraboo
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C+
Compared with most of Wisconsin and the rest of the country, fewer of West Baraboo’s households own their home
40% of households own their home in West Baraboo. The typical West Baraboo home is worth about $290,000, up 3.2% in a year, 14% below the Wisconsin typical home.
$290KZillow home value
| West Baraboo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 40% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,104 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
West Baraboo$290K
Wisconsin$337K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB−
West Baraboo is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns
West Baraboo beats the Wisconsin average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 22% of West Baraboo adults binge drink. Only 5 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than West Baraboo.
53%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| West Baraboo | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 78% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 24% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
7 better22 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | West Baraboo | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.2% | 6.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 17.9% | 15.5% |
SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Baraboo
2.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC+
West Baraboo has set aside 0.8% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
0.8%conserved
0.8%
conserved · 7 of 810 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Village Forest Park | — | 49 |
| 2. Haskins Park | — | 7 |
| 3. Max J. Hill Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 25 attractions →Ice Age Trail and 21 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Baraboo. Close and well known come first.
4 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
34 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
11 mi Canyon & gorgeDells of the Wisconsin River
5 mi State parkDevil's Lake State Park9 mi Theme parkNoah's Ark Water Park
2 mi MuseumCircus World MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Dells of the Wisconsin River: atramos, CC BY 2.0 · Devil's Lake State Park: CrispAir at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Circus World Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Baraboo
18pages on West Baraboo
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of West Baraboo; the nearest are
Madison Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madison33.3 mi$4,977 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison33.5 mi$11,603 in-state tuitionSouthwest Wisconsin Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fennimore55.6 mi$4,904 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 West Baraboo residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
About West Baraboo
Village in Wisconsin, United States
West Baraboo is a village along the Baraboo River in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,627 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Baraboo micropolitan statistical area. West Baraboo was previously known as Lyons.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 886 ft
West Baraboo’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with West Baraboo.
BarabooBarabooWest Baraboo
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Baraboo | — | — | C+ | — | C | B− |
| Baraboo | — | — | C+ | — | C | B− |
| Baraboo | #269 | B− | B− | — | C | B− |
West Baraboo and Baraboo have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. West Baraboo, Baraboo and Baraboo report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare West Baraboo with a neighbor →
Questions about West Baraboo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Baraboo, WI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.