Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Eagle River’s best subject grades are an A for walkability and the outdoors and an A− for civic life; its weakest is a D for incomes. On walkability, just 12 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do better. Eagle River has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Region Nine Training School and St. Peter's Catholic School. Eagle River has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Eagle River beats most towns.
1,398 counted in 2010 and 1,628 in 2020; an estimated 1,715 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Eagle River is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1922.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Eagle River, 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 Eagle River.
About one in 4 of Eagle River’s working residents works in town. At 18 minutes, Eagle River’s average trip to work is below both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 14% of residents live below the poverty line in Eagle River.
| Eagle River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 27% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Northland Pines School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Northland Pines Middle and High School, with 543 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northland Pines Elementary-Eagle RiverLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 484 | B |
| Northland Pines Middle and High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 543 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
At 77°F, Eagle River’s July high is below both Wisconsin’s towns (82°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Eagle River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
49% of Eagle River households own their home. Typical home values rose 5.6% in the year to September 2026. Eagle River’s median rent is $928 a month.
| Eagle River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 49% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $928 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Eagle River's reported crime rate is above Wisconsin's. The property crime rate in Eagle River is 18 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Eagle River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 18 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.7 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
2.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Vilas County Fairgrounds, at 23 acres.
| Eagle River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.9% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vilas County Fairgrounds | 0.5 mi | 23 |
| 2. Minnesota Street Park & Playground | — | 5 |
| 3. Riverview Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Eagle River beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4.
| Eagle River | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 33% | 35% |
| What stands out | Eagle River | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 8.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8% | 6.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4% | 3.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 58% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Eagle River; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Eagle River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Eagle River’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Eagle River on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Eagle River.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Eagle River is a city and the county seat of Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,628 at the 2020 census. Because of the many lakes in the area, the city is a popular vacation and retirement destination. The area contains many condominiums, seasonal vacation homes, and hunting cabins.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Eagle River.
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle River | — | — | B | — | B− | B |
| Lincoln | #240 | B− | B− | — | B− | B− |
Eagle River has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Eagle River and Lincoln report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Eagle River with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
6 notable people were born here, including Karen Burton and Robert Peters.
