New Glarus, Wisconsin Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

by btobers · Published July 2, 2019 · Updated September 5, 2024

New Glarus is a small city located in Green County, Wisconsin. It is situated in the southwest corner of the state, approximately 30 minutes from Madison and an hour from Milwaukee. The city encompasses an area of 4.5 square miles with a population of around 2,500 people.

New Glarus has a humid continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. In the winter months, temperatures can range from -10 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit while summer temperatures average between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The area receives an average of 35 inches of precipitation annually with snowfall occurring between November and April each year.

The city’s history dates back to 1845 when Swiss immigrants settled the area, looking for economic opportunities and religious freedom. Today, New Glarus is known as “America’s Little Switzerland” as it still retains much of its Swiss heritage in its architecture and culture.

Politics in New Glarus are dominated by the Democratic Party with most residents voting along party lines during elections. The city also has a strong sense of community pride and civic engagement among residents which encourages participation in local government affairs.

The economy in New Glarus is largely based on tourism, with many visitors coming to experience the unique culture and architecture that make up this charming city. There are also several businesses that cater to tourists such as restaurants, shops, hotels, wineries, breweries, museums and more which bring money into the local economy each year.

New Glarus is served by two school districts: New Glarus School District (K-12) and Monticello School District (K-8). The schools offer a wide variety of educational opportunities including advanced placement classes, extracurricular activities such as athletics and performing arts programs along with vocational training options for those who wish to pursue careers in trades or technical fields after graduating high school.

Some popular landmarks located within New Glarus include Little Norway Park & Museum which showcases Norwegian artifacts; Swiss Historical Village which offers insight into 19th century Swiss life; Moon Hill Nature Preserve which features beautiful hiking trails; Chalet Landhaus Restaurant & Brewpub which serves traditional Swiss fare; and Chocolaterie Stam where visitors can sample delicious European-style chocolates made onsite by master chocolatiers.

Population: 2,111. Estimated population in July 2024: 2,058 (-2.5% change)
Males: 992 (47.0%), Females: 1,119 (53.0%)

Green County

Zip code: 53574

Demographics

Median resident age: 39.6 years
Median household income: $45,000
Median house value: $113,800

Population by Race

Races in New Glarus:

White Non-Hispanic (97.6%)
Hispanic (1.3%)
Two or more races (0.6%)

Ancestries: Swiss (35.4%), German (33.7%), Norwegian (20.4%), English (8.6%), Irish (8.5%), French (2.7%).

Elevation: 900 feet

Land area: 1.4 square miles

Population by Education

New Glarus, Wisconsin is a small village located in the southern part of Green County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,172. The population is spread out with 51.0% female and 49.0% male. The median age is 44 years old with 22.3% under the age of 18 and 15.2% 65 years or older. The racial makeup of New Glarus is 98.5% White, 0.5% Asian, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race make up 1.2%.

The majority of residents in New Glarus are employed in professional, scientific, and technical services (25%), manufacturing (21%), and health care and social assistance (14%). The median household income for New Glarus is $56,172 with 10% of residents living below the poverty line. Education levels are fairly high with 91% having completed high school or higher education; however only 15% have a bachelor’s degree or higher level education attainment rate compared to Wisconsin’s 24%.

New Glarus also has a strong Swiss heritage which can be seen throughout the town in its architecture as well as its culture and events held throughout the year such as their annual Swiss Volksfest celebration which includes Swiss music, dancing, food and exhibits celebrating their Swiss heritage. In addition to this celebration they also have other holiday celebrations such as Oktoberfest which celebrates German culture as well as Christmas events including a traditional Christmas market downtown where locals can shop for handmade gifts made by local artisans and vendors from around Wisconsin

For population 25 years and over in New Glarus

High school or higher: 88.4%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.1%
Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%
Unemployed: 2.5%
Mean travel time to work: 23.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in New Glarus village

Never married: 18.0%
Now married: 56.2%
Separated: 1.5%
Widowed: 15.3%
Divorced: 9.0%

2.6% Foreign born (1.4% Europe, 0.7% Asia, 0.3% Africa).

Population change in the 1990s: +194 (+10.1%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near New Glarus:

MONROE CLINIC INC THE (about 15 miles; MONROE, WI)
UNIV OF WI HOSPITALS/CLINICS AUTHORITY (about 23 miles; MADISON, WI)
MERITER HOSPITAL INC (about 24 miles; MADISON, WI)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to New Glarus:

DANE COUNTY REGIONAL-TRUAX FIELD (about 31 miles; MADISON, WI; Abbreviation: MSN)
ROCK CO (about 44 miles; JANESVILLE, WI; Abbreviation: JVL)
GREATER ROCKFORD (about 58 miles; ROCKFORD, IL; Abbreviation: RFD)

Other public-use airports nearest to New Glarus:

VERONA (about 14 miles; VERONA, WI; Abbreviation: W19)
MONROE MUNI (about 16 miles; MONROE, WI; Abbreviation: EFT)
MOREY (about 22 miles; MIDDLETON, WI; Abbreviation: C29)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to New Glarus:

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN COLLEGES (about 24 miles; MADISON, WI; Full-time enrollment: 8,737)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON (about 24 miles; MADISON, WI; Full-time enrollment: 37,607)
MADISON AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 30 miles; MADISON, WI; Full-time enrollment: 7,914)
ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE (about 56 miles; ROCKFORD, IL; Full-time enrollment: 4,200)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-PLATTEVILLE (about 59 miles; PLATTEVILLE, WI; Full-time enrollment: 5,045)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER (about 63 miles; WHITEWATER, WI; Full-time enrollment: 9,493)
KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE (about 80 miles; MALTA, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,289)

Schools

Public high school in New Glarus:

NEW GLARUS MID/HI (Students: 348; Location: 1701 2ND ST; Grades: 07 – 12)

Private high school in New Glarus:

NEW GLARUS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 62; Location: 207 SIXTH ST; Grades: KG – 12)

Public primary/middle school in New Glarus:

NEW GLARUS EL (Students: 440; Location: 1420 2ND ST; Grades: PK – 06)

Libraries

Library in New Glarus:

NEW GLARUS PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $190,063; Location: 319 2ND ST.; 19,711 books; 1,689 audio materials; 1,674 video materials; 107 serial subscriptions)