1867 · from Ripon’s archive RiponWI
A town of 7,772, settled in 1849. Home to 14 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
1 bordering town Map →
Wikimedia Commons
Population
7,772
+1.7% since 2010
Median home value
$175K
Census ACS
Household income
$55K
median
Jobs based here
5,130
Balanced
What makes Ripon stand out The 3 things Ripon does most differently from other towns.
Picked automatically from the data
1867 · Birds eye view of the city of Ripon, Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin 1867 · Wikimedia Commons
Ripon’s story
177 years in pictures
12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 14 places on the National Register.
Explore the history →
1900
From the archive · today’s picture 126 years ago in Ripon Birthplace of the Republican Party
Photo · Library of Congress. A different picture from Ripon’s archive appears here every day.
Do you remember this? Share a memory See all 12 archive items →
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Ripon is #23 of 348 in WI for “Cheapest rent”. Fair?
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In the news: The Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon dates to founding of GOP →
Is Ripon still affordable for young families? →
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What’s your favorite trail or park in Ripon? →
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Ripon. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
Homes in Ripon sell for about $270K The median sale price was $270,000 in May 2026.
$270K median sale price
Outdoors
2.1% of Ripon is conserved land 4.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
#61 for trails in WI
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 2.1%
conserved · 67 of 3,240 acres
4.6 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. Ceresco Prairie Conservancy 2.7 mi 151 2. Murray Park — 30 3. Barlow Park — 23
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Ripon About one in 3 of Ripon’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Oshkosh (8%), Fond du Lac (7%) and Green Lake (3%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
34% work in town
Where working residents work In Ripon 34%
Oshkosh 8%
Fond du Lac 7%
Green Lake 3%
Appleton 2%
17 mi
median commute distance
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Schools
Ripon’s public schools outperform 70% of Wisconsin districts The public schools Ripon’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 70% of Wisconsin’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+ School Grade
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 21% of U.S. communities.
21 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
21 Low risk Lower Higher Inland flooding Cold waves Tornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2003
3
federal disasters paid out here
Safety
Less crime per resident than 73% of U.S. towns Ripon reports less crime per resident than 73% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+ Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Ripon 0.9
Wisconsin 2.4
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Ripon 4.8
Wisconsin 10.3
U.S. 15.5
73rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
63rd
percentile among WI towns
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
37
property crimes reported in 2025
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers Ripon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
38″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 13–29°
Spring 34–55°
Summer 58–79°
Fall 39–58°
Oct 11
typical first frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
Health
Healthier than 47% of U.S. towns Ripon beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
B− Health Grade
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better 31 too close to call 1 worse
What stands out Ripon WI Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked 83.3% 85.9%
Ripon Medical Center
1.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
33rd
percentile among WI towns
College town
12% of Ripon is in college
Landmarks 14 places in Ripon on the National Register of Historic Places.
All landmarks →
Famous people from Ripon 11 notable people were born in Ripon.
See all 11 →
Ripon ( RIH-pən) is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,863 at the 2020 census. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon. Ripon is home to the Little White Schoolhouse, where the Republican Party was founded.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1849
Population 7,863
Area 5.0 sq mi
Elevation 932 ft
ZIP code 54971
Area code 920