BruleBattle, 1891
Brule’s story
136 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1891 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
- 1890Brule is settled
Population
602
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Typical home
$260K
+7.4% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
54.1
years
Jobs based here
95
A commuter town
Is Brule a good place to live?
Brule’s average trip to work is 34 minutes, above both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 7 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower January low than Brule. 55% of the land in Brule is conserved, above both the Wisconsin town median (3.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Brule River State Forest, at 12,420 acres with 8.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Brule has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
602 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
HughesMapleOuluHighlandLake NebagamonCloverlandBrule
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Brule: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brule, and how to reach them.
PowerEast Central Energy17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBrule Waste Disposal and Recycling SiteDrop-offTown site
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 Brule ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54820, 54854, 5484954820 80% · 54854 16% · 54849 5%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 Brule.
Outdoors
Brule has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
14 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
55.1%conserved
55.1%
conserved · 19,568 of 35,508 acres
14 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brule River State Forest | 8.6 mi | 12,420 |
| 2. Tri-County Recreation Corridor | 2.4 mi | 65 |
| 3. Douglas County Forest | 0.4 mi | 6,626 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Very low risk in Brule, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 85% of U.S. communities.
15risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Brule’s workers commute out: the town has 0.3 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Brule for work: only 4% work in town. Jobs based in Brule grew to 95 in 2023, 38 more than in 2013. Brule’s median household income is $63,000.
4%work in town
| Brule | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 15% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Brule4%
Superior25%
Duluth18%
Ashland4%
Poplar4%
28 mi
median commute distance
95
jobs based in Brule
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
Older than Wisconsin overall
People 65 and older are 28% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 15% of residents (21% statewide). The median age in Brule is 54.1 years. 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
54.1median age · WI 40.2
| Brule | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 28% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 15% | 21% | 22% |
BruleWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school26%
Some college24%
Associate’s17%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
43% women, 57% men
About 131 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.9 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Brule | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.3% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.6% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.2% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.3% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.7% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 16.5% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.2% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 600, single groups can be off by several points
Housing
Brule’s typical home value is about $260K
The typical Brule home is worth about $260,000, up 7.4% in a year, 23% below the Wisconsin typical home. 83% of households own their home in Brule.
$260KZillow home value
| Brule | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $788 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Brule$260K
Wisconsin$337K
+7.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Brule
Brule has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 79°, January nights drop to 3° and about 74 inches of snow falls in a winter.
74″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring28–51°
Summer53–76°
Fall34–53°
Sep 26
typical first frost
May 24
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Brule is
Brule beats the Wisconsin average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 29% of Brule adults feel lonely.
| Brule | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
6 better21 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Brule | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.8% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.8% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.6% |
St. Marys Hospital Superior
24.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Brule
18pages on Brule
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Brule; the nearest are
University of Wisconsin-SuperiorUniversity or college · Public · Superior24.6 mi$8,812 in-state tuitionLake Superior CollegeCommunity college · Public · Duluth, MN28.9 mi$5,785 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Brule residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Get outside
14 miles of trails in Brule
55.1% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
3
Douglas County Forest0.4 mi of trails · 6,626 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Brule
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Brule is a town in Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 607 at the 2020 census. The town takes its name from the nearby Bois Brule River, which flows north into Lake Superior. The census-designated place of Brule and unincorporated communities of Bellwood, Waino, and Winneboujou are located in the town of Brule.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 56 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,093 ft
- ZIP code
- 54820
Questions about Brule
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Brule, WI a good place to live?
Brule has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.