BellWI
A town of 400, settled in 1902.
Is Bell a good place to live?
68% of the land in Bell is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Bayfield County Forest, at 14,774 acres with 33.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Bell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
400 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Bell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bell, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bell.
Protected land: nearly a third of Bell
The density of trails in Bell is 1.4 miles per square mile. Count the trails in 5 parks and preserves and they come to 81 miles.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bayfield County Forest | 33.2 mi | 14,774 |
| 2. Swenson Forest Preserve | 2.2 mi | 102 |
| 3. Lost Creek Bog State Natural Area | 0.3 mi | 829 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Bell has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from cold waves
Compared with 91% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Bell is lower. 47% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by inland flooding at 38%. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 5 declared disasters, most recently in 2018.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Bell has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The median commute is under 21 miles. The top destinations are Bayfield (20%), Ashland (12%) and Russell (9%). For most workers, Bell is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town.
| Bell | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Bell
Bell’s midsummer high stands at 78°F, below both Wisconsin’s towns (82°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fewer of Bell’s adults binge drink than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
On the CDC’s 32 measures, Bell is ahead of Wisconsin on 10 and behind on 9. For adults locally, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 30%. Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Bell.
| Bell | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Bell | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.9% | 19% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.1% | 9.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.9% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Bell
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Bell; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Bell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
81 miles of trails in Bell
67.8% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
About Bell
Town in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States
Bell is a town in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 355 at the 2020 census, up from 263 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated community of Cornucopia is located within the town. Wisconsin Highway 13 and County Highway C are the main routes in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 61 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,112 ft
Questions about Bell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bell, WI a good place to live?
Bell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.