Jobs, pay and daily life in Fort Atkinson, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Fort Atkinson is a city in Wisconsin with 12,463 residents. The median household earns $79,302 a year and the median rent is $961 a month, which is 14.5% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Janesville-Beloit, WI (69,870 jobs), about 19 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Fort Atkinson compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Fort Atkinson is #77 by population, #77 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #14 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #66 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Jefferson County, is #22 of 72 counties for average pay ($54,167).
Fort Atkinson has 12,463 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,132 people per square mile. The median age is 43.5, 8% older than the state median (43.5 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $961 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($961 against $1,087). Over a year that is 14.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $211,800, which is 2.7 times the median household income ($79,302); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 68.5% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (68.5% against 67.8%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Janesville-Beloit, WI, metropolitan area has 69,870 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,390 a year, 5% below the national median ($48,390 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (8,350 jobs, median $45,510); office and administrative support (7,700 jobs, median $46,490); production (7,450 jobs, median $47,000). The area is most specialised in production (1.9 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($47,000) and office and administrative support ($46,490). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 2.5%. 69.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.5% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 2.7% walk, 9.7% work from home. 15.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 56% above the state average (15.9% against 10.2%).
26.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (26.2% against 33.4%). 7.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 45% above the state share (7.5% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 6.7%, 37% below the state rate (6.7% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.4°C). About 954 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (129 mm) and Jan the driest (38 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Whitewater (8 miles, rent 8% higher); Janesville (19 miles, rent 10% higher); Stoughton (19 miles, rent 20% higher); Watertown (19 miles, rent 9% higher). Rent differences are against Fort Atkinson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideJefferson CountyWisconsin rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in Wisconsin (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,150 | 1.24 | $28,290 | $22,230 | $35,280 | -9% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,000 | 1.51 | $44,590 | $31,760 | $55,720 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,680 | 1.11 | $93,030 | $77,440 | $103,600 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,670 | 0.96 | $34,000 | $26,490 | $47,640 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,670 | 1.80 | $59,800 | $45,470 | $74,500 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 1,610 | 1.16 | $31,240 | $23,270 | $37,390 | -5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,600 | 0.83 | $36,370 | $28,260 | $43,370 | +2% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,540 | 1.21 | $38,780 | $30,070 | $49,180 | +4% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,260 | 1.99 | $44,070 | $35,310 | $57,860 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,110 | 0.95 | $46,210 | $33,340 | $61,730 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,070 | 0.96 | $44,930 | $31,480 | $59,680 | -0% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,030 | 1.04 | $36,570 | $29,570 | $47,080 | -1% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 980 | 1.54 | $37,670 | $33,630 | $42,470 | +2% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 910 | 1.63 | $71,620 | $42,270 | $131,530 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 830 | 0.53 | $121,540 | $51,800 | $271,840 | +15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 820 | 0.80 | $28,990 | $16,870 | $61,050 | -18% |
| Bartenders | 800 | 2.34 | $22,090 | $17,080 | $36,770 | -36% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 770 | 1.12 | $56,610 | $35,520 | $74,870 | +14% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 720 | 0.94 | $47,000 | $36,550 | $58,820 | -1% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 720 | 1.15 | $60,220 | $48,900 | $79,270 | -6% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Janesville-Beloit, WI, about 19 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,390 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% |
| Manufacturing | 17.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.2% |
| Retail trade | 10.3% |
| Construction | 6.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.2% |
| Information | 5.1% |
| Public administration | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fort Atkinson lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 86,003 | $4,923 million | $57,242 | 33,615 | 2,344 | $54,167 | -0.6% | 2.5% | 48,706 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 9,275 | 31.9% | $70,851 | 3.36 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,139 | 14.3% | $44,227 | 0.86 |
| Retail trade | 3,771 | 13.0% | $31,838 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,469 | 8.5% | $18,090 | 0.81 |
| Construction | 2,028 | 7.0% | $77,070 | 1.15 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,490 | 5.1% | $44,523 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,135 | 3.9% | $50,985 | 0.80 |
| Wholesale trade | 919 | 3.2% | $70,859 | 0.69 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 786 | 2.7% | $41,276 | 0.78 |
| Professional and technical services | 756 | 2.6% | $88,501 | 0.32 |
| Finance and insurance | 664 | 2.3% | $72,041 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 602 | 2.1% | $20,508 | 1.07 |
| Management of companies | 432 | 1.5% | $97,202 | 0.76 |
| Real estate and rental | 239 | 0.8% | $49,060 | 0.46 |
| Information | 217 | 0.7% | $53,636 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 82 | 0.3% | $131,489 | 0.64 |
| Educational services | 29 | 0.1% | $14,584 | 0.04 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.5% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 2.7% |
| Work from home | 9.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,302 |
| Income per person | $38,229 |
| Median gross rent per month | $961 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 14.5% |
| Median home value | $211,800 |
| Homeowners | 68.5% |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 93.7 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $48,390 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.2% |
| Born abroad | 7.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.4 | 19 | 38 |
| Feb | -6.1 | 21 | 42 |
| Mar | 1.0 | 34 | 60 |
| Apr | 7.4 | 45 | 101 |
| May | 13.9 | 57 | 106 |
| Jun | 19.8 | 68 | 129 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 93 |
| Aug | 21.7 | 71 | 107 |
| Sep | 17.4 | 63 | 89 |
| Oct | 9.7 | 49 | 80 |
| Nov | 2.6 | 37 | 56 |
| Dec | -4.2 | 24 | 53 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitewater | WI | 8 mi | 15,807 | $54,969 | $1,041 |
| Janesville | WI | 19 mi | 66,030 | $73,446 | $1,054 |
| Stoughton | WI | 19 mi | 13,033 | $79,551 | $1,157 |
| Watertown | WI | 19 mi | 22,774 | $70,107 | $1,052 |
| Oconomowoc | WI | 22 mi | 19,080 | $106,425 | $1,301 |
| Sun Prairie | WI | 27 mi | 37,570 | $90,942 | $1,419 |
| Beloit | WI | 29 mi | 36,534 | $62,663 | $1,066 |
| Fitchburg | WI | 30 mi | 32,619 | $86,516 | $1,373 |
| Waukesha | WI | 31 mi | 71,233 | $83,837 | $1,219 |
| Madison | WI | 32 mi | 278,001 | $78,050 | $1,413 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
12,463 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$961 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 14.5% of the median household income.
$79,302 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.5% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.