Carl F. Statz ^ Sons Inc. Implement, 2012
Westport’s story
172 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 6 maps from 1890 on.
- 1854Westport is settled
WestportWI
A town of 4,249, settled in 1854.
Population
4,249
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Median home value
$419K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
51.7
years
Jobs based here
1,363
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#74 of 357 in WI
What should you know before moving to Westport?
Westport's standout: it has 28 miles of trail. Overall it grades A, ranked 74th of 357 in Wisconsin. Residents are healthier than 92% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and the median household earns $84K. Westport’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both Wisconsin’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4). Only 34 of Wisconsin’s 869 towns score lower on civic life. The biggest place to walk is Governor Nelson State Park, 404 acres with 5.5 miles of trail.
What makes Westport stand out
Where Westport beats most towns.
Get outside
28 miles of trails in Westport
14.2% of the town is conserved land, across 21 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Westport grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Westport is from typical.
HealthUniversity of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority 6.2 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $419K, 4.7 years of the Madison metro’s $89K median household incomeCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 4.4% of households have no car; 0.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors14% conserved landA+Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 29 attractions →Camp Randall Stadium and 24 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Westport. Close and well known come first.
7 mi Stadium & arenaCamp Randall Stadium
7 mi Stadium & arenaKohl Center
24 mi Park & preserveIce Age Trail
38 mi Canyon & gorgeDells of the Wisconsin River
8 mi Zoo & aquariumHenry Vilas Zoo
22 mi State parkDevil's Lake State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Camp Randall Stadium: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Kohl Center: Pbrown111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Ice Age Trail: MDuchek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dells of the Wisconsin River: atramos, CC BY 2.0 · Henry Vilas Zoo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 · Devil's Lake State Park: CrispAir at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Westport: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Westport, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMendota Mental Health Inst water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offMiddleton Recycling Center, 5 miOpenStreetMap
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 Westport ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2026
ZIP codes53597, 53562, 5370453597 79% · 53562 11% · 53704 10%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 Westport.
Westport is one of Wisconsin’s best towns for the outdoors, has less food insecurity than most of Wisconsin and has fewer 90° days than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
OutdoorsA+
14.2% of Westport is conserved land
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #5 of 362 in Wisconsin.
28 miles of trail in 21 parks and preserves.
#31for trails in WI
14.2%
conserved · 1,864 of 13,151 acres
28 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Governor Nelson State Park | 5.5 mi | 404 |
| 2. Schumacher Farm County Park | 2.5 mi | 117 |
| 3. Six Mile Creek State Fishery Area | 1.8 mi | 167 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
88%of WI districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Country Day School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 449 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
HealthA
A smaller share of adults sleep under 7 hours in Westport than in most of Wisconsin or the rest of the country
Its widest gap with Wisconsin is food insecurity: 7.1% of its 16,629 adults worry about having enough food, against 12.1% statewide.
28% of Westport adults sleep under 7 hours, below both the Wisconsin town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (36%). 9.7% of adults smoke cigarettes in Westport. Westport beats the Wisconsin average on 22 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
92%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Westport | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.7% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
22 better10 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Westport | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.1% | 12.1% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.3% | 8% |
University of WI Hospitals & Clinics Authority
6.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
96th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
About half of Westport’s working residents commute to Madison
Most working residents leave Westport for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Westport has added 271 jobs, to 1,363 in 2023. 4.2% of Westport residents live below the poverty line.
1%work in town
| Westport | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 8.4% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Westport1%
Madison49%
Waunakee7%
Middleton7%
Verona2%
7 mi
median commute distance
1,363
jobs based in Westport
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 28% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Westport faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Westport since 2024.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Westport, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Madison Dane Rgnl Ap weather station, 5 miles away, records that about 9 days a year reach 90°: fewer than most of the country, but more than 77% of Wisconsin places with climate records. July afternoons average 82.3°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 85% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 10.5°.
Westport has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Westport’s January low is 11°F. About 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
| Westport | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 11°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–80°
Fall39–59°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Westport
18pages on Westport
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Westport
Madison Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madison5.9 mi$4,977 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity or college · Public · Madison6.5 mi$11,603 in-state tuitionHerzing University-MadisonUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Madison7 mi$13,450 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Westport residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Westport for work
Where Westport’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,363jobs based in Westport
1%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Westport’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Westport.
WaunakeeMadisonMiddletonSpringfieldViennaWestport
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westport | #74 | A | C | — | A | A |
| Waunakee | #5 | A+ | C− | A | A | A |
| Madison | #289 | C+ | D | C | C | A |
| Middleton | #63 | A | D | B | A | A |
| Springfield | #33 | A | C | — | A | A |
| Vienna | — | — | C+ | — | A− | A |
Vienna has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Westport, Springfield and Vienna report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Westport with a neighbor →
Questions about Westport
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Westport, WI a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Westport grades A overall, better than 87% of U.S. towns and #74 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A for health and A for schools.
Is Westport, 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.