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The Cataract handbook

Living in Cataract, WI: what to set up and who to call

Cataract has no town government of its own, so Monroe County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Sparta Area School District. Wired internet is thin in Cataract: the FCC’s map has 57% of addresses able to get it.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Cataract has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Monroe County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Cataract’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Cataract, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerXcel Energyinvestor-owned utility · 15.6¢/kWhMore →Internet2 providers0% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cataract’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolSparta Area School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code54656Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Cataract.

Electricity

Power comes from Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (Northern States Power Co. (Wisconsin)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Cataract. Its homes paid an average of 15.6¢ per kWh in 2025, about $113 a month (its average across Wisconsin).

Start or move service: xcelenergy.com · (800) 895-2999

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

2 home internet providers serve Cataract

0% of 102 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
BrightspeedDSL59%100/10
Bug TusselFixed wireless96%25/5

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Cataract’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Cataract.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileCataract has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Cataract kids go to
PK–KSouthside Early Learning Centerin Sparta
1–4Herrman Elementaryin Sparta
5–8Sparta Meadowview Middlein Sparta
9–12Sparta Highin Sparta

Cataract is in Sparta Area School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Cataract is unincorporated, so Monroe County is the local government.

Local governmentMonroe CountyCataract is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereTown of Little Falls ClerkElections here are run by Town of Little Falls (Monroe County) (town or city clerk). 4124 County Highway I, Sparta, WI 54656-6574 · (608) 272-3175 · [email protected]FVAP, Jun 2025
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.govCheck your registration and polling placemyvote.wi.govThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Cataract is in ZIP code 54656

ZIP codes where Cataract residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of CataractZIP’s residents in Cataract
54656Sparta, WI100%1%

54620 is P.O. box or single-organization ZIP with no homes.

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomMayo Clinic Health Systm Franciscan Healthcare Sparta9.9 miles awayGet a library cardSparta Free Library124 W. Main St. · (608) 269-2010

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Cataract

Who provides electricity in Cataract?

Xcel Energy (Northern States Power Co. (Wisconsin)), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 15.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Cataract?

Brightspeed, Bug Tussel (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Cataract?

54656. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Cataract in?

Sparta Area School District.

How do I register to vote in Cataract?

In 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). Elections here are run by the Town of Little Falls Clerk. Check your registration at myvote.wi.gov.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.