Ellison Bay Wisconsin Street Scene, 1908
Ellison Bay’s story
153 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908.
- 1873Ellison Bay is settled
Ellison BayWI
The town was settled in 1873 and has 186 residents today.
Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
186
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$518K
+4.1% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
62.5
years
Jobs based here
103
A job hub
Settled
1873
153 years ago
Is Ellison Bay a good place to live?
69% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Ellison Bay, above both the Wisconsin town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than Ellison Bay. 16% of the land in Ellison Bay is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest park or preserve is Mink River Estuary State Natural Area, at 264 acres. Ellison Bay has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Ellison Bay stand out
Where Ellison Bay beats most towns.
Small town
186 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 Ellison Bay.
Work & commute
Ellison Bay stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with the average trip to work shorter than most
5%work in town
For residents in Ellison Bay, the share who live below the poverty line is 21%. Jobs based in Ellison Bay grew to 103 in 2023, 74 more than in 2013. Half the trips to work are shorter than 11 miles. The median household income in the town is $66,000.
| Ellison Bay | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 12 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ellison Bay5%
Sister Bay20%
Liberty Grove20%
Gibraltar9%
Washington7%
11 mi
median commute distance
103
jobs based in Ellison Bay
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Ellison Bay is lower than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
1risk score of 100
FEMA puts 53% of Ellison Bay’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 34% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 99% of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Zillow puts the typical Ellison Bay home at about $518K
$518KZillow home value
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 4.1%.
Typical home value
Ellison Bay$518K
Wisconsin$337K
+4.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Protected land: 16.4% of Ellison Bay
16.4%conserved
0.2 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Ellison Bay’s density of trails stands at 0.1 miles per square mile.
16.4%
conserved · 279 of 1,695 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mink River Estuary State Natural Area | — | 264 |
| 2. Grandview Park | — | 14 |
| 3. Ellison Bluff County Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Ellison Bay’s year
59″snow a winter
Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just one has a lower July high than Ellison Bay. July afternoons reach 76°, January nights drop to 13° and about 59 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–29°
Spring31–49°
Summer56–74°
Fall40–55°
Oct 14
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Ellison Bay is
Among adults in Ellison Bay, 85% had a checkup this year. The town does better than the Wisconsin average on 18 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 7. No town among the 358 in Wisconsin we compare has a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Ellison Bay.
| Ellison Bay | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
18 better7 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Ellison Bay | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 5.2% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.3% | 8.6% |
Aurora Medical Center Bay Area
30.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ellison Bay
16pages on Ellison Bay
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Ellison Bay: who provides what
Ellison Bay is unincorporated, so Door County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerWisconsin Public Service17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCottage Glen Condominiums water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers89% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesDoor CountyDoor 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 Liberty Grove ClerkTown of Liberty Grove (Door County); contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5421054210 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.
A job hub
Every workday, about 100 people come to Ellison Bay for work
Where Ellison Bay’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
103jobs based in Ellison Bay
5%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ellison Bay; the nearest are
Bay de Noc Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Escanaba, MI35.7 mi$5,712 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Green BayUniversity or college · Public · Green Bay64.9 mi$8,700 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Ellison Bay residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Ellison Bay
Census-designated place in Wisconsin, United States
Ellison Bay is a census-designated place in northern Door County, Wisconsin, United States, within the town of Liberty Grove and is located on Highway 42 along the Green Bay. As of the 2020 census, its population is 249. Sur La Baie, one of Wisconsin's largest and most expensive homes, is located nearby.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 594 ft
- ZIP code
- 54210
Questions about Ellison Bay
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ellison Bay, WI a good place to live?
Ellison Bay has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Ellison Bay is in here
Say something about Ellison Bay.
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