Waupaca, Wisconsin
Waupaca is a city of 6,283 people in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, founded in 1849.
Why visit Waupaca
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Rosa Theater, Commandant's Residence Home, Danes Hall and Waupaca Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 8°F, and about 49 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Waupaca
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Waupaca
Waupaca is a city in and the county seat of Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 6,282 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Waupaca, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks9
Commandant's Residence Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Danes Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Clubhouse in Waupaca, Wisconsin
Main Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in Waupaca, Wisconsin
Mumbrue-Penney House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Waupaca, Wisconsin, United States
Shearer-Cristy House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Waupaca, Wisconsin, United States
United States Post Office (Waupaca, Wisconsin)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
United States post office in Waupaca, Wisconsin
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Veterans Cottages Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes17
H. H. Hinder Brewing Company
Brewery and winery
804 Churchill Street
We-Th 15:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 11:30-18:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 2.0 mi
1020 West Fulton Street, Waupaca
Mo-Th 10:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-24:00; Su 10:30-23:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 2.2 mi
1092 West Fulton Street, Waupaca
Mo-Th 09:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-03:00; Su 09:00-01:00
5 more on the map.
History
Native American mound builders lived in the area prior to European settlement. At one time there were 72 earthwork mounds in the area, some of them ancient prehistoric works.
“Waupaca” is an Menominee word, Wāpahkoh, which means Place of Tomorrow Seen Clearly. For more than 10,000 years, the Menominee occupied about 10 million acres, including Waupaca and the Chain O’Lakes area. The Menominee in the Waupaca area moved between large villages on Taylor and Otter Lakes and camps along the falls on the Waupaca River.
In a series of seven treaties, the Menominee ceded their lands to the United States. The final treaty, in 1848, relinquished the last of the Menominee's land, which included Waupaca.
The first white settlers, five men from Vermont, came to Waupaca looking for “the falls” in 1849. The settlers made camp near the end of what is now North Main Street with plans to harness the power of the falls and establish a community.
By 1852, a post office had been established and the settlement was officially named Waupaca. Waupaca was incorporated as a village on May 4, 1857, by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature. This act was repealed on April 7, 1862, but revived on June 17 of the same year. Waupaca was incorporated as a city by the legislature on March 5, 1875.
From the History section of Waupaca, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship2
Veterans Home Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Waupaca Free Public Library
Library · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Healthcare3
Map of Waupaca
70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 8°F | 1.4 in | 10.9 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 10°F | 1.1 in | 11.9 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 21°F | 1.9 in | 7.0 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 33°F | 3.4 in | 4.7 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 4.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 55°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 57°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 37°F | 2.6 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 26°F | 2.1 in | 2.1 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 14°F | 1.7 in | 12.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Waupaca (1 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
Waupaca County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-18: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waupaca Municipal Airport (PCZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- King 3 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Iola 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Amherst 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- New London 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Hortonville 21 mi east, about 35 min by car
- Wautoma 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Plover 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Clintonville 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
- Greenville 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Stevens Point 27 mi northwest, about 43 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
- Waupaca City Hall, Wernerradio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Waupaca, Wisconsin, Chain O' Lakes - Large Letter Postcard (8026115270), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Waupaca Danes Hall, Chitownjohn, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waupaca High School, BaronLarf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WaupacaHistoricalSocietyWaupacaFreeLibraryFront, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- DanesHallWaupacaWisconsin, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WVH Chapel 1, BaronLarf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Commandant's Residence House, Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ShearerCristyHouseWaupacaWisconsin1, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MainStreetHistoricDistrictWaupacaWisconsinYellowstoneTrail1, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MumbruePenneyHouseWaupacaWisconsin, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WVH Cottages3, BaronLarf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- WaupacaWisconsinPostOffice, self, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Crescent Roller Mills, Tgkrause, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Renovation 3, Chitownjohn, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Danes Hall Turret, Chitownjohn, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.