Lake Mills, Wisconsin
Lake Mills is a city of 6,470 people in Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Why visit Lake Mills
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 19 places to eat and 3 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Aztalan State Park, L. D. Fargo Public Library, Lake Mills Golf Course and Lakeside Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 42 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lake Mills
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake Mills
Lake Mills is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 6,211 at the 2020 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Lake Mills.
From the Wikipedia article Lake Mills, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Aztalan State Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Wisconsin state park
L. D. Fargo Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic place in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes19
The Grist Bar & Table
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
103 South Main Street
Tyranena Brewing Company Tasting Room
Bar and pub · 0.8 mi
Mo-Th 16:30-22:00; Fr 15:00-23:00; Sa 12:00-13:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Buck's on Main
Bar and pub · 0.4 mi
107 South Main Street, Lake Mills
Lake Mills Family Restaurant
Restaurant · Burger · 0.7 mi
Mulberry Street, Lake Mills
7 more on the map.
Where to stay3
History
Lake Mills occupies the east shore of Rock Lake. The area was first settled by Captain Joseph Keyes. He called it "Lake Mills", after building a saw mill and grist mill using power from nearby Rock Lake.
Lake Mills was chartered in 1836, and the first building was built in 1837. The village of Lake Mills incorporated in 1852 out of the surrounding town of Lake Mills. In 1866 the village changed its name to "Tyranena", but changed it back again to "Lake Mills" the next year. (Tyranena is supposedly an indigenous name meaning "sparkling waters".)
From the History section of Lake Mills, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare1
Map of Lake Mills
49 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 11°F | 1.4 in | 10.7 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 14°F | 1.5 in | 11.4 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 25°F | 2.0 in | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.6 in | 2.1 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.4 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 40°F | 2.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 28°F | 2.1 in | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 18°F | 1.6 in | 10.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lake Mills Wwtp (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jefferson County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-19: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2007-08-26: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Jefferson 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Johnson Creek 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Cambridge 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Deerfield 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Watertown 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Fort Atkinson 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Cottage Grove 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Lake Koshkonong 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Ixonia 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Sun Prairie 18 mi northwest, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- LakeMillsWisconsinDowntown2, User:Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 2.5
- L. D. Fargo Public Library, James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ancient Aztalan Village DSC 0 121, Joshua Mayer - Flickr user wackybadger, CC BY-SA 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.