Waupaca, Wisconsin
8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1955 and the latest in 1992. It stands in Waupaca City. It lies in ZIP code area 54981. The Survey maps it on the Waupaca quadrangle. 6,282 people lived here at the 2020 count.
Research this city
On record in Waupaca
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 12 of 14 shown
Browne Law Officelisted 1980
Danes Halllisted 1980
Henry and Elizabeth Delong Houselisted 2002
Jens Hansen Wagon and Carriage Shoplisted 1994
Matt and Lena Jensen Houselisted 2002
Main Street Historic Districtlisted 2002
Mead Banklisted 2003
Mumbrue-Penney Houselisted 2002
Peter and Jessie Olfson Houselisted 2002
Shearer-Cristy Houselisted 1983
Waupaca Free Public Librarylisted 1996
Waupaca Post Officelisted 2000
Population over time
3 figuresWaupaca grew from 1,392 to 6,282 between 1880 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,392 | |
| 2010 | 6,069 | |
| 2020 | 6,282 | +213 (+4%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
5 surveys from 8 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1955 USGS Green Bay quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Waupaca quadrangle1:48000, 2 printings
- 1969 USGS Waupaca quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Wisconsin Rapids quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
- 1992 USGS Waupaca quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
240 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 240 fires within 5 miles of Waupaca between 1992 and 2020, burning about 180 acres in total. 7 started naturally. 5 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 79 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 47 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 36 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 20 |
| Fireworks | 14 |
| Smoking | 10 |
| Natural | 7 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Other causes | 6 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 6 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 5 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 4 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 September 2006 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 23 September 2008 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 23 September 1995 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 18 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 15 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | LITTLE FEATHER -1 FIRE |
| 15 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | LITTLE FEATHER - 2 FIRE |
| 15 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | LITTLE FEATHER - 3 FIRE |
| 15 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | LITTLE FEATHER - 4 FIRE |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
3 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Waupaca: 3 past producers. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Peterson Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Scheider Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Scheider Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
58 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Waupaca in 58 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 34 thunderstorm wind, 19 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2004 | Tornado (F2) | Waupaca | $915,000 | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $180,000 | no account filed |
| July 2019 | Tornado (EF1) | Waupaca | $150,000 | A tornado formed south of Waupaca and moved east-northeast to near White Lake. The tornado damaged siding and shingles on six homes (DI 2, DOD 2) and an apartment in a new subdivision near the Waupaca Airport. The garage door of a newer home was blown completely in, causing damage to the roof of the house (DI 2, DOD 4). Another house had a small part of its roof heavily damaged. Numerous trees were also damaged along the path. Peak winds were estimated around 90 mph. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $39,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | $1,000 | no account filed |
| March 2025 | Hail | Waupaca | - | Quarter size hail fell near Waupaca. The time of this report is an estimate based on radar data. |
| March 2025 | Hail | Waupaca | - | Quarter size hail fell in Waupaca. The time of this report is an estimate based on radar data. |
| April 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines in Waupaca. The time of this event is an estimate based on radar data. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed trees in the Waupaca area. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and branches in Waupaca. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts, estimated as high as 70 mph, downed trees in Waupaca. |
| July 2017 | Hail | Waupaca | - | Walnut size hail fell at Waupaca. |
| July 2017 | Hail | Waupaca | - | Penny size hail fell on Honey Bear Court, near Highway 49 northwest of Waupaca. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed trees in Waupaca. The time of this event was estimated based on radar data. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed trees as the storms passed through Waupaca. The time of this event was estimated based on radar data. |
| August 2014 | Flash Flood | Waupaca | - | Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms caused street and basement flooding in downtown Waupaca. Overloaded storm sewers caused manhole covers to blow off in the city. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | An estimated wind gust of 75 mph was reported just east of the city of Waupaca. |
| June 2012 | Hail | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorms produced penny size hail at Waupaca. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | A thunderstorm produced penny size hail and strong winds. The winds from the storm downed tree branches in Waupaca. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Waupaca | - | A thunderstorm produced penny size hail and strong winds. The winds from the storm downed tree branches in Waupaca. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds knocked down large tree branches and a tree in the city of Waupaca. |
| July 2011 | Hail | Waupaca | - | A thunderstorm produced penny size hail in Waupaca. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorms winds downed trees and power lines in Waupaca. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed several trees between Waupaca and Iola. |
| July 2008 | Flash Flood | Waupaca | - | Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in the downtown area of Waupaca. Several roads were covered by fast flowing water and had to be temporarily closed until the water subsided. Radar estimated 2 to 3 inches of rain in less than two hours. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Trees reported down in and around the city of Waupaca. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Waupaca | - | The amateur radio operator who reported the hail also observed a non-rotating wall cloud. |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | High winds from thunderstorms snapped and uprooted several trees along Highway 54. The snapped trees were up to 2 feet in diameter. Hail accompanied the strong winds, stripping corn stalks on a 1,000 acre farm between Waupaca and Weyauwega. |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed many large, up to 8 inches in diameter, tree branches north of Waupaca. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Flash Flood | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| April 2003 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| March 2000 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| September 1998 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Waupaca | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Hope | 3.0 miles | 8 | |
| King | 3.3 miles | 8 | |
| Parfreyville | 3.9 miles | 8 | |
| Granite Quarry (historical) | 4.2 miles | 8 | |
| Rural | 4.7 miles | 8 | |
| Chain O' Lakes | 4.9 miles | 8 | |
| Sheridan | 6.5 miles | 8 | |
| Baldwins Mill | 6.9 miles | 7 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Waupaca | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1569794 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1576320. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.




