Is Merton, WI a Good Place to Live?
Merton is a small town of 3,463 in Wisconsin, with a median household income of $159,577 and a 3.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Merton stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Merton is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Merton 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: 95.5Merton's overall cost of living index is 95.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Merton costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Merton, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $481,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,050 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 97.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $159,577 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMerton's violent crime rate is 60.4 per 100,000 residents — 84% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Merton, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 60.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Merton sees average highs of 27.6°F in January and 83.1°F in July, with 35.9 inches of annual precipitation and 36.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Merton, WI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 27.6°F |
| Average High — July | 83.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Merton, WI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,463 | — |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.7% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.1% | 16.8% |