Bird's eye view of Chetek, Wis, 1912
Chetek’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 406 in 1890, 2,172 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 2 maps from 1951 on.
- 1883Chetek is settled
Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,152
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$288K
+5.1% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
46.7
years
Jobs based here
1,177
Balanced
Is Chetek a good place to live?
Chetek’s best subject grade is an A− for walkability. On walkability, just 62 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. 27% of residents are 65 or older in Chetek, against 20% in Wisconsin’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Chetek has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestA−Walkability
What makes Chetek stand out
Where Chetek beats most towns.
How Chetek grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Chetek is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 6.4% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income$64K median household income; 1,177 jobs based hereC+Open →SchoolsC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →HealthMayo Clinic Health System-Northland 10.7 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 1% conserved landC+Open →History2 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 81° summer afternoons, 53″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.7; 19% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Chetek: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chetek, and how to reach them.
PowerBarron Electric Coop16.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterChetek WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpChetek Compost 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 hereCity of Chetek ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5472854728 100%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 Chetek.
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Chetek’s schools trail 58% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
42%of WI districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Roselawn ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 429 | B+ |
| Chetek-Weyerhaeuser HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 254 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Chetek
Chetek has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 81°F, Chetek’s July high is where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 82°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–25°
Spring31–54°
Summer56–79°
Fall35–56°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
About one in eight working residents works right in Chetek
Most working residents leave Chetek for work: only 13% work in town. The average trip to work in Chetek is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Rice Lake (14%), Eau Claire (9%) and Barron (7%).
13%work in town
| Chetek | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Chetek13%
Rice Lake14%
Eau Claire9%
Barron7%
Chetek2%
24 mi
median commute distance
1,177
jobs based in Chetek
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Chetek is valued at about $288K
The typical Chetek home is worth about $288,000, up 5.1% in a year, 15% below the Wisconsin typical home. Chetek’s median rent is $959 a month.
$288KZillow home value
| Chetek | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $959 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Chetek$288K
Wisconsin$337K
+5.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Safety
Crime reported in Chetek
Chetek's reported crime rate is well below Wisconsin's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2023.
| Chetek | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 8.8 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.8 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Chetek0.5
Wisconsin3
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Chetek2.8
Wisconsin12.6
U.S.19.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2023
6
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Chetek, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Residents of Chetek are less healthy than 53% of U.S. towns
Chetek beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 29% of adults get no exercise outside work in Chetek.
47%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Chetek | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 32% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better24 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Chetek | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.9% | 9.9% |
Mayo Clinic Health System-Northland
10.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.8%conserved
| Chetek | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
0.8%
conserved · 15 of 1,942 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gotham Pioneer Park | — | 11 |
| 2. Southworth/Airport Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Chetek
20pages on Chetek
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 58% of WI districts · 4 schoolsSafety0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthB−Better than WI on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$288K typical home · up 5.1% in a yearWork & commuteC+$64K median household income · 1,177 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Chetek
About 3 of every 100 Chetek residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Chetek
City in Wisconsin, United States
Chetek is a city in Barron County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,172 at the 2020 census, down from 2,221 at the 2010 census. The city is partially within the Town of Chetek.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,050 ft
- ZIP code
- 54728
Chetek’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Chetek.
ChetekPrairie LakeChetek
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chetek | — | — | B | — | C+ | B− |
| Chetek | — | — | C+ | — | C+ | C+ |
| Prairie Lake | — | — | C+ | — | B− | C+ |
Chetek, Chetek and Prairie Lake have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Chetek, Chetek and Prairie Lake report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Chetek with a neighbor →
Questions about Chetek
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Chetek, WI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Chetek, WI known for?
2 notable people were born here, including J. B. Van Hollen and Leona E. Tyler.