HughesWI
A town of 485.
Is Hughes a good place to live?
Hughes’ average trip to work is 42 minutes, above both the Wisconsin town median (22 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 5 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower January low than Hughes. 69% of the land in Hughes is conserved, above both the Wisconsin town median (3.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Bayfield County Forest, 24,783 acres with 56.1 miles of trail. Hughes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
485 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Hughes: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hughes, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hughes.
Hughes has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
65 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Hughes’ trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bayfield County Forest | 56.1 mi | 24,783 |
| 2. Tri-County Recreation Corridor | 6.3 mi | 281 |
| 3. Across the Pond Veterans Park | — | 14 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Very low risk in Hughes, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 96% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Hughes has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Hughes for work: only 2% work in town. 2.7% of residents live below the poverty line in Hughes. The top destinations are Iron River (15%), Duluth (9%) and Superior (8%).
| Hughes | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Hughes
Hughes has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Hughes is 79°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fewer young adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 14% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 24% of residents (19% statewide). Hughes has grown 3% since 2020, to 485 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 33% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Hughes | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.4 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 19% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 32% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Among residents 75 and older, 66% are men (WI 43%).
| Hughes | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.2% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 6.3% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.8% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.1% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.2% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.6% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.8% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.1% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.3% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.4% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
Hughes stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
40% of Hughes adults have high blood pressure. Hughes beats the Wisconsin average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 13% of Hughes adults have diabetes.
| Hughes | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| What stands out | Hughes | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.2% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Hughes
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hughes; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Hughes residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
65 miles of trails in Hughes
69.2% of the town is conserved land, across 4 parks and preserves.
About Hughes
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Hughes is a town in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 471 at the 2020 census, up from 383 at the 2010 census. The unincorporated communities of Muskeg and Wills are located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 53 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,194 ft
Questions about Hughes
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hughes, WI a good place to live?
Hughes has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.