Is Lake Ripley, WI a Good Place to Live?
Lake Ripley is a small town of 1,982 in Wisconsin, with a median household income of $118,478 and a 7.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Lake Ripley stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lake Ripley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake Ripley 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: 97.2Lake Ripley's overall cost of living index is 97.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake Ripley costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake Ripley, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $323,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,032 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 86.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $118,478 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeLake Ripley's violent crime rate is 145.1 per 100,000 residents — 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lake Ripley is served primarily by Cambridge School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lake Ripley, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Cambridge School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 2 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake Ripley sees average highs of 26.8°F in January and 83.5°F in July, with 37.0 inches of annual precipitation and 42.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lake Ripley, WI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 26.8°F |
| Average High — July | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 42.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake Ripley, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,982 | — |
| Median Age | 51.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 29.9 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lake Ripley
Lake Ripley, WI is covered by 1 ZIP code: