Martin Inn
Big Bend’s story
Big Bend in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers and 2 maps from 1972 on.
Explore the history →Big BendWI
A town of 418.
Population
418
2025 Census estimate · +0.7% since 2020
Median home value
$255K
Census ACS
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
54.3
years
Jobs based here
21
A commuter town
Is Big Bend a good place to live?
Big Bend’s average trip to work is 49 minutes, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a lower share of working residents who work in town than Big Bend. The biggest park or preserve is Rusk County Forest, at 1,290 acres. Big Bend has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
418 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
WashingtonRuskStubbsSampsonBig Bend
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Big Bend: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Big Bend, and how to reach them.
PowerChippewa Valley Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Big Bend’s trash rules yet
SchoolsBruce School DistrictChetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District2 districts serve Big Bend; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Big Bend ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes54757, 54895, 5481954757 47% · 54895 34% · 54819 18%Census 2020
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 Big Bend.
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Big Bend’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Big Bend for work: only 1% work in town. 13% of Big Bend residents live below the poverty line, above both Wisconsin’s towns (6.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). The median household income in Big Bend is $68,000.
1%work in town
| Big Bend | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Big Bend1%
Ladysmith15%
Eau Claire10%
Rice Lake9%
Bruce5%
22 mi
median commute distance
21
jobs based in Big Bend
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Older than Wisconsin overall
People 65 and older are 29% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). Big Bend’s median age is 54.3 years. 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
54.3median age · WI 40.2
| Big Bend | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.3 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 29% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 32% | 29% |
Big BendWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school28%
Some college21%
Associate’s22%
Bachelor’s12%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.2 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Big Bend | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.7% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.6% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.9% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.2% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 11.9% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.9% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazards
Big Bend faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1994, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Big Bend.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
6
paid flood claims since 1994
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Big Bend
Big Bend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 4° and about 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–26°
Spring31–54°
Summer55–78°
Fall35–55°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
10.2%conserved
10.2%
conserved · 2,297 of 22,474 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rusk County Forest | — | 1,290 |
| 2. Chippewa County Forest | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
Big Bend stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with more of its adults who have diabetes
14% of Big Bend adults have diabetes. Big Bend beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 39% of Big Bend adults have high blood pressure.
| Big Bend | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Big Bend | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.3% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.5% |
Marshfield Medical Center - Ladysmith
13.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Big Bend
17pages on Big Bend
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Big Bend; the nearest are
Northwood Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rice Lake21.9 mi$4,926 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireUniversity or college · Public · Eau Claire38.3 mi$9,642 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Big Bend residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Big Bend for work
Where Big Bend’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
21jobs based in Big Bend
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Big Bend
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Big Bend is a town in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 423 as of the 2023 US census. The unincorporated community of Island Lake is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 35 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,073 ft
Questions about Big Bend
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Big Bend, WI a good place to live?
Big Bend has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.