Is Cross Plains, WI a Good Place to Live?
Cross Plains is a small town of 4,053 in Wisconsin, with a median household income of $97,843 and a 0.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Cross Plains stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Cross Plains is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Cross Plains city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 95.8Cross Plains's overall cost of living index is 95.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cross Plains costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Cross Plains, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $336,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,240 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $97,843 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeCross Plains's violent crime rate is 49.9 per 100,000 residents — 87% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Cross Plains is served primarily by Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Cross Plains, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 7 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Cross Plains sees average highs of 26.5°F in January and 81.6°F in July, with 39.4 inches of annual precipitation and 38.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Cross Plains, WI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 26.5°F |
| Average High — July | 81.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Cross Plains, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,053 | — |
| Median Age | 37.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 92.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Cross Plains
Cross Plains, WI is covered by 1 ZIP code: