Clam Lake ELF, 1982
Clam Lake’s story
98 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1982 and 3 maps from 1971 on.
- 1928Clam Lake is settled
Clam LakeWI
Home to 53 people, the town was settled in 1928.
Population
53
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$298K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
73.6
years
Land area
1 sq mi
Settled
1928
98 years ago
Is Clam Lake a good place to live?
Clam Lake’s midpoint age is 73.6 years, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 42.1 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of households owning their home than Clam Lake. Clam Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
53 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Clam Lake.
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Clam Lake
103″snow a winter
Summer afternoons peak near 78° in July, and January nights bottom out around 2°; snowfall runs to about 103 inches a winter.
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–24°
Spring27–51°
Summer52–76°
Fall33–53°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 16
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: low risk in Clam Lake, mostly inland flooding
38risk score of 100
In Clam Lake, the risk rating from FEMA is 38 of 100. FEMA puts 47% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 43% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
Compared with most of Wisconsin and the rest of the country, more of Clam Lake’s adults have high blood pressure
Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Clam Lake. In Clam Lake, just over a fifth of adults say their health is fair or poor. This Wisconsin town does better than the Wisconsin average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 11.
| Clam Lake | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 20% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
10 better11 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Clam Lake | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.8% | 19% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.4% | 9.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.8% | 6.6% |
Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center
17.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Clam Lake’s typical home value is about $298K
$298KZillow home value
Home values are up 4.8% over the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
Clam Lake$298K
Wisconsin$337K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Clam Lake
15pages on Clam Lake
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Clam Lake: who provides what
Clam Lake is unincorporated, so Ashland County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerBayfield Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesAshland CountyAshland County provides services here
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 Gordon ClerkTown of Gordon (Ashland County); contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5451754517 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.
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Clam Lake; the nearest are
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hayward26.8 mi$6,030 in-state tuitionGogebic Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ironwood, MI41.2 mi$4,800 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Clam Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Clam Lake
Census-designated place in Wisconsin, United States
Clam Lake is an unincorporated, census-designated place in the town of Gordon in Ashland County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on Wisconsin Highway 77 near County Highway GG. The entire area lies within the Chequamegon National Forest, an 860,000-acre area spread across northern Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 36, a tiny decrease from 37 in 2010. Situated near the headwaters of the Chippewa Flowage, the area encompasses several smaller lakes that host prime Musky fishing. Clam Lake is well known as the site of the reintroduction of elk in Wisconsin with a herd of 25 in 1995 by the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, which has grown to an estimated 180. Clam…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,434 ft
- ZIP code
- 54517
Questions about Clam Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Clam Lake, WI a good place to live?
Clam Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Clam Lake is in here
Say something about Clam Lake.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.