Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Bruce’s average trip to work is 34 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 adults with a bachelor’s degree than Bruce. The biggest park or preserve is Bruce Park, at 35 acres. Bruce has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 565 in 1910, 781 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 2 maps from 1972 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bruce, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Bruce.
At $625 a month, Bruce’s median rent is below both Wisconsin’s towns ($1,078 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Typical home values rose 7.7% in the year to September 2026.
| Bruce | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $625 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 74% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Bruce School District. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 199 | C |
| Bruce HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 116 | D |
| Bruce MiddleTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 73 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Bruce has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Bruce is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Bruce for work: only 11% work in town. 17% of Bruce residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Bruce grew to 464 in 2023, 303 more than in 2013.
| Bruce | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 8.3% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bruce beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 16% of adults report frequent physical distress in Bruce.
| Bruce | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bruce | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.2% | 6.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Bruce | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bruce Park | — | 35 |
| 2. Rusk County Forest | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Bruce; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Bruce residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Bruce is a village in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 781 at the 2020 census. The village was founded in 1884 by the Sault Ste. Marie Land and Improvement Company. The land company was incorporated and led by the principal officers of the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railway, which operated its ceremonial first train over its line to Bruce in November 1884. It was named for Alanson C. Bruce who operated a logging camp in the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bruce has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.