Somerset is the kind of Wisconsin village that surprises people. Many visitors know it for one thing, floating the Apple River on a summer afternoon, but the people who live here know it as a close-knit community of about 3,000 with a real downtown park, a school campus where everyone’s kids end up together and a median sale price around $414,000. If you are weighing a move across the border, here is our honest look at living in Somerset, WI.
The Setting
Somerset is a village in St. Croix County, set along the Apple River. The 2020 census counted 3,019 residents. Wisconsin Highways 35 and 64 are the main routes through town, and the surrounding area mixes in-village neighborhoods with lakes, farmland and wooded acreage. The village describes a small-town place with its own library, senior center, community ice arena and two public golf courses, Bristol Ridge and St. Croix National Golf Club.
Dining, Outdoors and Community
The Apple River is the town’s calling card. Somerset bills itself as the inner tubing capital of the world, and outfitters including Apple River Family Campground and River’s Edge Apple River Campground rent tubes, run shuttles and offer camping. The float can take up to three and a half hours, with a sandbar stop about halfway. Tubing season brings summer traffic and noise, so we always suggest buyers visit on a July Saturday before deciding on a home near the river.
In town, Village Park has a riverside picnic area and playground and is home to Pea Soup Days each June, a celebration of the community’s French-Canadian heritage. Earth Apple Cafe roasts its own coffee and bakes its own bread, Kennedy’s Cafe is a go-to breakfast spot, and Sportsman’s Bar & Grill is a short walk from the park. The village also hosts the Somerset Amphitheater, an outdoor concert venue, and its parks list includes Parnell Prairie Preserve and several lake boat landings.
The Somerset Housing Market Right Now
Here is where the numbers stand, as of August 2026:
- Median sale price (Redfin, city of Somerset, all home types): $413,700, up 1.4% from a year earlier
- Median sale price (Redfin, ZIP 54025): $439,900, down 2.6% year over year. The ZIP includes surrounding rural homes and acreage, which tend to run larger
- Days on market, sale-to-list ratio and share of homes selling above list: Redfin does not publish these for Somerset, so we are not going to guess
In plain English, the market is steady rather than frantic. Prices are essentially flat over the year, and the city and ZIP figures moving in slightly different directions is typical of a small place where a handful of sales can swing the median. Because Somerset is a small sample, one or two large acreage sales can move these averages, so we always pull current comparable sales for the specific home you are considering rather than leaning on a headline number.
Schools
Somerset is served by the Somerset School District, which keeps its elementary, middle and high schools on one campus. Niche gives the district an overall grade of B+ and an academics grade of B+, with about 1,445 students and a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. On Wisconsin’s 2024-25 state tests, 50% of students were proficient in reading and 42% in math. That is solid and in line with its neighbors, though not top of the region, so families who put test scores first should compare districts side by side. More than one district serves the surrounding area, so confirm the district for any specific address.
Taxes and Costs
Property taxes here are not low. Ownwell puts Somerset’s median effective rate at 1.36% and the median annual bill at $3,669, compared with 1.40% for St. Croix County and a Wisconsin median of 1.43%. Those figures are based on assessed values that typically trail current sale prices, so a newly purchased home may carry a higher bill. Wisconsin’s advantage for many Minnesota households shows up mostly on income tax instead: for 2026, Wisconsin’s top state rate is 7.65% versus 9.85% in Minnesota. We always suggest running your own numbers, including reciprocity rules, with a tax professional.
The Commute
Somerset is a drive, not a hop. Highway 64 heads west toward the St. Croix River and the Minnesota side, and Highway 35 is the other main route. We encourage you to test the drive at your real commute hour, including the river crossing, before you write an offer.
Is Somerset Right for You?
Somerset fits buyers who want a small-town feel, outdoor access and a community where the median sale price runs around $414,000. It suits families comfortable with a B+ district, remote and hybrid workers, and anyone who wants lake and river life. It is a harder fit if you want a walkable restaurant scene on every corner, a short drive to the airport, or the very top-ranked schools in the region. Summer tubing crowds are part of the deal.
Let’s Talk About Your Move
We know the St. Croix Valley on both sides of the river, and we will help you compare Somerset against Hudson, New Richmond and River Falls with real numbers, not hunches.
Thinking about Somerset? Get in touch with the Carchedi Group to start the conversation, or find out what your current home is worth if a move is on the table.
Market data from Redfin as of August 2026; school data from Niche (2024-25 state test results); tax data from Ownwell; population from the 2020 census. Figures change monthly and are not a substitute for a current market analysis.
Explore More Communities We Serve
Comparing towns? Our other local guides cover the St. Croix Valley, the east metro and the North Metro in the same honest, data-first way:
- Living in Hudson, WI
- Living in Stillwater, MN
- Living in North Branch, MN
- Living in New Richmond, WI
- Living in Roberts, WI
- Living in River Falls, WI
- Living in Houlton, WI
- Living in Bayport, MN
- Living in Afton, MN
- Living in Lake Elmo, MN
- Living in Grant, MN
- Living in Dellwood, MN
- Living in Mahtomedi, MN
- Living in Woodbury, MN
- Living in Cottage Grove, MN
- Living in Lakeland, MN
Or start with our home search and valuation tools.