Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Whittlesey

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Wisconsin›Taylor County

WhittleseyWI

A town of 77, settled in 1882.

Is Whittlesey a good place to live?

29% of residents live below the poverty line in Whittlesey, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 6.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Whittlesey. Whittlesey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

77 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Getting set up

Moving to Whittlesey: who provides what

Whittlesey is unincorporated, so Taylor County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerTaylor Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesTaylor CountyTaylor County provides services here
SchoolsMedford Area School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereTown of Chelsea ClerkTown of Chelsea (Taylor County); contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5445154451 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 Whittlesey.

Climate

Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Whittlesey

The peak summer temperature in Whittlesey is 78°F.

57″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter7–24°
Spring30–52°
Summer54–76°
Fall34–54°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

More of Whittlesey’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town

Just over a fifth of Whittlesey adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 7 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Whittlesey. In Whittlesey, 44% of adults have obesity, and 34% get no exercise outside work. This Wisconsin town beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13.

WhittleseyWisconsin townsU.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)42%33%35%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)44%38%35%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)34%26%25%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)16%13%14%
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
What stands outWhittleseyWI
More adults treating high blood pressure83.3%77.8%
More adults with COPD9.9%6.5%
Aspirus Medford Hospital & Clinics
6.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Whittlesey has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding

Just over three fifths of Whittlesey’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 23%. Compared with 57% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher.

57risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
57Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Housing

A home in Whittlesey sells for about $99K at the median

81% of households live in a home they own in Whittlesey.

$99Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in June

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Outdoors

0% of Whittlesey is conserved land

For Whittlesey, the concentration of trails is 0.8 miles per square mile. Trails run 0.9 miles in 1 park or preserve. One park or preserve covers 7 acres locally.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 717 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Whittlesey Lions Park—7

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Whittlesey

16pages on Whittlesey
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Whittlesey; the nearest are

About Whittlesey

Census-designated place in Wisconsin, United States

Whittlesey is a census-designated place in the town of Chelsea, Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, Whittlesey had a population of 97. The community of Whittlesey was started in the 1870s when the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company built its line up through the forests, heading for Ashland. The railroad placed a station seven miles north of Medford where the line touched the Little Black River. It named the station Whittlesey, probably for Asaph Whittlesey, an early state legislator from Ashland, or possibly for geologist Charles Whittlesey who surveyed the area. Several sawmills operated in Whittlesey starting in the 1880s. One built a 240-foot dam across the ri…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
1.1 sq mi
Elevation
1,476 ft

Questions about Whittlesey

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Whittlesey, WI a good place to live?

Whittlesey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.