Why visit Medford
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Broadway Theatre, J. W. Benn Building, Medford Free Public Library and Black River Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 79°F; January lows average 2°F, and about 57 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Medford
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Medford
Medford is a city and county seat of Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,349 at the 2020 census. The city is located mostly within the boundaries of the Town of Medford.
From the Wikipedia article Medford, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
J. W. Benn Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Commercial building in Medford, Wisconsin, United States
Medford Free Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Library in Medford, Wisconsin
Medford Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Post office in Medford, United States
Taylor County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Taylor County Educational Campus
Park · 0.8 mi
Former campus of UW-Medford, the only UW campus to close without being merged with another
Restaurants and cafes17
The Tire Station
Restaurant · Burger, Pizza, American, Mexican, Grill
148 South Whelen Avenue, Medford
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.5 mi
726 East Broadway Avenue, Medford
Mo-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.5 mi
342 South 8th Street, Medford
Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-20:00; Su 09:00-20:00
5 more on the map.
History
Medford is located on historic Ojibwe forest land acquired by the United States in the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters. In 1864, the federal government authorized a grant of some 837,000 acres (1,308 sq mi; 3,390 km2) of this land to subsidize railway construction through the area. The Wisconsin Central Railroad Company, controlled by Boston financier Gardner Colby, obtained the land grant and constructed the railroad in the 1870s. The railroad company and a local lumber milling company laid out the city of Medford in 1875 and sold lots for twenty-five dollars each. The railroad named the new settlement after Medford, Massachusetts, the hometown of a railroad official. Medford shipped over 1.5 million board feet of lumber by rail within a year of its establishment, and the area was soon clear cut for farming.
The Wisconsin Legislature organized Taylor County in 1875 and named Medford the county seat, leading to a dispute between the Wisconsin Central Railroad and the mill company over the location of the courthouse. The Taylor County Courthouse was ultimately constructed on land donated by the railroad company.
From the History section of Medford, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship8
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Medford Area Elementary School & Medford Area Senior High School
School · 1.3 mi
Healthcare2
Eye Clinic of Wisconsin
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
101 South Gibson Street, Medford
Map of Medford
71 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 2°F | 1.1 in | 12.8 in |
| Feb | 26°F | 6°F | 1.1 in | 13.9 in |
| Mar | 38°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 6.0 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 31°F | 3.0 in | 4.0 in |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 3.7 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 53°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 57°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 55°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 47°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 34°F | 3.2 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 39°F | 23°F | 1.9 in | 4.5 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 10°F | 1.4 in | 15.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Medford Hcn (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
Taylor County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2010-10-21: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-18: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2002-09-10: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Taylor County Airport (MDF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Athens 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Colby 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Thorp 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Marathon City 28 mi southeast, about 44 min by car
- Greenwood 28 mi southwest, about 46 min by car
- Maine 33 mi east, about 53 min by car
- Marshfield 34 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Wausau 36 mi east, about 58 min by car
- Weston 42 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kronenwetter 43 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 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
- Medford City Hall, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- J W Benn Building Medford Wisc, Jeff the quiet, Public domain
- Medford WI Post Office, Jeff the quiet, CC0
- Taylor County Courthouse Medford Wisconsin, Jeff the quiet, Public domain
- Medford Wisconsin Public Library, Jeff the quiet, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.