Very AffordableVery SafeDe Soto Area School District
De Soto Village Hall · Wikideas1 / CC0De Soto, Wisconsin · Wikideas1 / CC0De Soto high school · Wikideas1 / CC0DeSotoWisconsinSignWIS35Oct2016 · Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 4.0
De Soto is a small town of 539 in Wisconsin, with a median household income of $86,996
and a 0.8% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
De Soto stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether De Soto is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All De Soto 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: 89.5
De Soto's overall cost of living index is 89.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in De Soto costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
De Soto, WI
National Avg
Median Home Value
$114,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$744
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
85.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$86,996
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
De Soto's violent crime rate is 84.4 per 100,000 residents
— 78% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
84.4 /100k
Property Crime
545.1 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
De Soto is served primarily by De Soto Area School District.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
De Soto, WI
National Avg
School District
De Soto Area School District
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.2:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
8.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
De Soto sees average highs of 27.3°F in January
and 83.7°F in July,
with 37.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 34.8 inches of snow per year.
De Soto's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes De Soto roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $114,600 and median rent is $744/month.
De Soto's violent crime rate is 84.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 545.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in De Soto are operated by De Soto Area School District.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1. 8.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
De Soto, WI has a population of 539, a median household income of $86,996, and an unemployment rate of 0.8%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
De Soto averages 27.3°F in January and 83.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.5 inches
with about 34.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
De Soto, WI is covered by 1 ZIP code: 54624.
The population of De Soto, Wisconsin is 539 with a median age of 53.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in De Soto: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $114,600, median household income $86,996, crime index 24 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare De Soto side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
