How deep are wells in Wisconsin? Depth by county from 485,513 state well logs
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources keeps the logs drillers file for new and replacement private drinking water wells. Across the 460,203 that give a depth, the median Wisconsin well is 120 feet deep, and the middle 80% run from 46 to 259 feet. 72 of 72 counties have 30 or more logs and appear in the table.
120 ft median depth, statewide
46 to 259 ft 10th to 90th percentile
32 ft median static water level
485,513 logs in 72 counties
Deepest and shallowest counties by median depth
Among the 72 counties with 30 or more logs that give a depth. The logs column is the count behind each median.
| Deepest | Median depth | Logs | Shallowest | Median depth | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford | 265 ft | 1,881 | Wood | 60 ft | 7,715 |
| Door | 240 ft | 8,917 | Vilas | 60 ft | 12,888 |
| Grant | 240 ft | 3,501 | Rusk | 60 ft | 3,806 |
| Vernon | 230 ft | 3,660 | Oneida | 61 ft | 14,447 |
| Iowa | 227 ft | 2,560 | Menominee | 62 ft | 1,147 |
Every Wisconsin county with 30 or more logs
Depth is the total depth the driller reported. "Middle 80%" is the 10th to 90th percentile: one log in ten is shallower than the first number and one in ten deeper than the second. Water level is the median static water level (how far below the ground the water stood when the well was finished), from the logs that record one. Years: the span of the middle 90% of dated logs. Download the table (CSV).
| County | Logs | Median depth | Middle 80% | Water level | Years | Our town pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 11,345 | 62 ft | 45 to 128 ft | 24 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Wisconsin Dells |
| Ashland | 1,747 | 117 ft | 48 to 240 ft | 28 ft | 1990 to 2024 | Ashland |
| Barron | 9,069 | 79 ft | 40 to 177 ft | 31 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Cameron, Rice Lake |
| Bayfield | 4,707 | 97 ft | 44 to 240 ft | 40 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Brown | 9,380 | 182 ft | 100 to 402 ft | 45 ft | 1989 to 2022 | De Pere, Green Bay, Greenleaf, New Franken |
| Buffalo | 2,579 | 90 ft | 45 to 240 ft | 40 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Burnett | 7,787 | 90 ft | 46 to 194 ft | 28 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Calumet | 2,311 | 165 ft | 84 to 402 ft | 45 ft | 1976 to 2023 | Chilton |
| Chippewa | 10,277 | 68 ft | 39 to 155 ft | 29 ft | 1989 to 2024 | |
| Clark | 4,800 | 92 ft | 50 to 220 ft | 19 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Abbotsford, Neillsville |
| Columbia | 6,046 | 144 ft | 95 to 237 ft | 34 ft | 1989 to 2023 | |
| Crawford | 1,990 | 265 ft | 100 to 540 ft | 168 ft | 1989 to 2024 | |
| Dane | 15,299 | 178 ft | 106 to 302 ft | 55 ft | 1980 to 2023 | Cambridge, Madison, Windsor |
| Dodge | 6,291 | 146 ft | 96 to 272 ft | 36 ft | 1989 to 2022 | Randolph, Waupun |
| Door | 9,373 | 240 ft | 160 to 303 ft | 40 ft | 1988 to 2024 | Brussels, Sturgeon Bay |
| Douglas | 4,429 | 132 ft | 60 to 285 ft | 27 ft | 1991 to 2024 | |
| Dunn | 5,954 | 100 ft | 52 to 165 ft | 50 ft | 1990 to 2023 | Colfax, Menomonie |
| Eau Claire | 6,700 | 92 ft | 52 to 160 ft | 40 ft | 1980 to 2024 | Eau Claire |
| Florence | 2,143 | 83 ft | 43 to 276 ft | 30 ft | 1989 to 2023 | |
| Fond du Lac | 6,888 | 163 ft | 100 to 275 ft | 40 ft | 1989 to 2022 | |
| Forest | 3,695 | 65 ft | 38 to 196 ft | 23 ft | 1988 to 2024 | |
| Grant | 3,987 | 240 ft | 100 to 400 ft | 135 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Montfort, Platteville |
| Green | 4,656 | 175 ft | 100 to 252 ft | 70 ft | 1990 to 2024 | Brodhead |
| Green Lake | 2,822 | 144 ft | 97 to 220 ft | 33 ft | 1988 to 2023 | |
| Iowa | 2,951 | 227 ft | 67 to 360 ft | 125 ft | 1988 to 2024 | |
| Iron | 1,986 | 80 ft | 38 to 238 ft | 18 ft | 1991 to 2024 | |
| Jackson | 3,942 | 77 ft | 41 to 145 ft | 31 ft | 1990 to 2023 | Black River Falls |
| Jefferson | 6,590 | 142 ft | 80 to 216 ft | 30 ft | 1988 to 2022 | Jefferson, Watertown |
| Juneau | 6,143 | 62 ft | 37 to 145 ft | 15 ft | 1990 to 2024 | New Lisbon |
| Kenosha | 9,335 | 116 ft | 56 to 218 ft | 40 ft | 1989 to 2022 | |
| Kewaunee | 2,512 | 160 ft | 103 to 263 ft | 30 ft | 1989 to 2023 | |
| La Crosse | 6,225 | 108 ft | 63 to 205 ft | 50 ft | 1989 to 2022 | La Crosse |
| Lafayette | 1,974 | 220 ft | 130 to 290 ft | 100 ft | 1988 to 2024 | |
| Langlade | 4,946 | 65 ft | 38 to 158 ft | 26 ft | 1986 to 2023 | Antigo |
| Lincoln | 8,658 | 73 ft | 38 to 197 ft | 22 ft | 1959 to 2022 | Tomahawk |
| Manitowoc | 5,639 | 143 ft | 98 to 240 ft | 35 ft | 1988 to 2022 | Manitowoc |
| Marathon | 13,428 | 140 ft | 41 to 250 ft | 17 ft | 1988 to 2023 | Aniwa, Edgar, Mosinee, Wausau |
| Marinette | 9,707 | 112 ft | 52 to 280 ft | 24 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Peshtigo |
| Marquette | 5,107 | 110 ft | 58 to 203 ft | 23 ft | 1989 to 2024 | |
| Menominee | 1,160 | 62 ft | 42 to 143 ft | 19 ft | 1989 to 2023 | |
| Milwaukee | 1,110 | 205 ft | 123 to 443 ft | 70 ft | 1960 to 2021 | Milwaukee |
| Monroe | 5,458 | 93 ft | 50 to 280 ft | 42 ft | 1990 to 2023 | Sparta, Tomah |
| Oconto | 11,583 | 104 ft | 48 to 244 ft | 20 ft | 1990 to 2023 | Cecil, Oconto Falls |
| Oneida | 15,392 | 61 ft | 37 to 152 ft | 22 ft | 1990 to 2024 | Rhinelander |
| Outagamie | 9,161 | 165 ft | 100 to 342 ft | 50 ft | 1989 to 2021 | Appleton |
| Ozaukee | 4,891 | 185 ft | 114 to 305 ft | 40 ft | 1973 to 2022 | Cedarburg, Mequon |
| Pepin | 1,141 | 115 ft | 55 to 360 ft | 60 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Pierce | 4,057 | 200 ft | 84 to 350 ft | 134 ft | 1990 to 2023 | |
| Polk | 10,032 | 108 ft | 55 to 230 ft | 40 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Balsam Lake, Frederic |
| Portage | 8,934 | 79 ft | 31 to 199 ft | 27 ft | 1979 to 2023 | Amherst, Plover |
| Price | 5,623 | 71 ft | 38 to 160 ft | 18 ft | 1958 to 2023 | |
| Racine | 9,008 | 123 ft | 59 to 225 ft | 33 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Burlington |
| Richland | 2,830 | 140 ft | 67 to 380 ft | 61 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Richland Center |
| Rock | 6,934 | 140 ft | 75 to 205 ft | 50 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Janesville |
| Rusk | 3,887 | 60 ft | 35 to 145 ft | 22 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Sauk | 8,512 | 140 ft | 77 to 300 ft | 59 ft | 1959 to 2022 | Baraboo, Reedsburg |
| Sawyer | 8,204 | 79 ft | 39 to 160 ft | 24 ft | 1990 to 2024 | Hayward |
| Shawano | 6,343 | 120 ft | 45 to 265 ft | 22 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Shawano |
| Sheboygan | 5,639 | 171 ft | 101 to 280 ft | 37 ft | 1988 to 2022 | |
| St. Croix | 12,559 | 160 ft | 85 to 270 ft | 90 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Somerset |
| Taylor | 3,560 | 93 ft | 40 to 170 ft | 16 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Medford |
| Trempealeau | 4,071 | 100 ft | 45 to 180 ft | 48 ft | 1990 to 2023 | |
| Vernon | 3,824 | 230 ft | 100 to 468 ft | 138 ft | 1990 to 2023 | |
| Vilas | 13,792 | 60 ft | 38 to 126 ft | 20 ft | 1990 to 2024 | Eagle River |
| Walworth | 11,101 | 95 ft | 46 to 218 ft | 38 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Elkhorn, Whitewater |
| Washburn | 6,415 | 84 ft | 45 to 173 ft | 34 ft | 1990 to 2024 | |
| Washington | 10,588 | 170 ft | 76 to 285 ft | 45 ft | 1989 to 2022 | Hartford, Slinger |
| Waukesha | 23,711 | 146 ft | 52 to 293 ft | 40 ft | 1988 to 2023 | Butler, Hartland, Mukwonago, North Prairie, Oconomowoc, Wales, Waukesha |
| Waupaca | 8,631 | 98 ft | 50 to 225 ft | 22 ft | 1989 to 2023 | Waupaca |
| Waushara | 7,836 | 99 ft | 57 to 185 ft | 28 ft | 1989 to 2024 | Berlin, Wautoma |
| Winnebago | 7,907 | 145 ft | 88 to 299 ft | 27 ft | 1988 to 2022 | Fremont, Oshkosh |
| Wood | 8,201 | 60 ft | 31 to 205 ft | 16 ft | 1988 to 2023 | Auburndale, Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids |
Method
- Source: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Well Inventory (Groundwater Retrieval Network), well construction reports. We downloaded it on October 10, 2026 from the state's own server.
- Rows counted: new and replacement private drinking water wells. Field filter as run: SOURCE_DATABASE = WELL CONSTRUCTION and WELL_USE = PRIVATE POTABLE and WELL_TYPE in (New Well, Replacement); depth = WELL_DEPTH_FT; level = STATIC_WATER_LEVEL_FT when recorded below ground surface.
- Each log is placed in the county the state file gives, matched to Census county names. 485,513 logs matched a Wisconsin county.
- A depth outside 1 to 5,000 feet is treated as a typing error and left out. A water level counts only when it is above zero and shallower than the well's depth. Medians and percentiles use the standard linear method.
- A county shows figures only with 30 or more logs that give a depth (water level: 30 or more levels). Nothing is estimated or filled in.
Limits
- Well logs cover drilled wells that a driller reported to the state. They are not a count of every well: older wells, hand-dug wells and wells from before reporting began are often missing.
- Depths and water levels are as each driller wrote them on the day the well was finished. Water levels move with season, drought and nearby pumping, so an old reading is not today's level.
- Dates vary by county. The years column shows when most of the logs were drilled; a county with mostly older logs describes older wells.
- A county figure says nothing certain about one lot. Depth can change a lot across a county, from hilltop to valley. A local driller's logs for nearby wells are the better guide for a single property.
Data: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Well Inventory (Groundwater Retrieval Network), well construction reports, read October 10, 2026. CSV of this table. Built by WellsNear from the state file; the code is the same for every state.
How to cite this: WellsNear, "How deep are wells in Wisconsin? Depth by county from state well logs," updated October 10, 2026, https://wellsnear.com/research/well-depth-by-county-wisconsin/