Dollar General®, 2012
Mercer’s story
131 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012.
- 1895Mercer is settled
MercerWI
A town of 1,649, settled in 1895. 3.7 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Wisconsin town.
Trash & recycling7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Cbradshaw (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,649
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$325K
+9.5% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
63.4
years
Jobs based here
371
A commuter town
Is Mercer a good place to live?
The best of Mercer’s subject grades are an A for civic life and the outdoors; the weakest is a C− for schools. 44% of residents are 65 or older in Mercer, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 18%. On incomes, just 66 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 78% of U.S. towns. 51% of the land in Mercer is conserved, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 3.8% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Iron County Forest, at 33,370 acres with 14.6 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Only 61 of Wisconsin’s 869 towns score higher on civic life. Mercer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Mercer stand out
Where Mercer beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Mercer14
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical WI town3.8
Civic lifeA
3.7 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Wisconsin town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Mercer has grown 17% since 2010
1,407 counted in 2010 and 1,649 in 2020; an estimated 1,649 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Mercer grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Mercer is from typical.
SchoolsC−Open →Jobs & incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 3.4% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →HealthFlambeau Hospital 21.3 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 63.4; 34% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Mercer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mercer, and how to reach them.
PowerBayfield Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterMercer Sanitary DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpTown of Mercer Transfer/Recycle SitePay per bagTown 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 hereTown of Mercer ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes54547, 54514, 5454554547 93% · 54514 5% · 54545 2%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 Mercer.
50.8%conserved
50.8%
conserved · 59,705 of 117,563 acres
51 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Iron County Forest | 14.6 mi | 33,370 |
| 2. Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area | 7.6 mi | 15,602 |
| 3. Northern Highland American Legion State Forest | 5 mi | 19,469 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Mercer fall behind 83% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Mercer School District. Its one school is below.
17%of WI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 92 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
A smaller share of residents in Mercer are under 18 than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
11% of Mercer residents are under 18. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 1 have a higher median age than Mercer. People 65 and older are 44% of residents (19% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 8% of residents (22% statewide).
63.4median age · WI 40.2
| Mercer | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.4 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 11% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 32% | 29% |
MercerWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
25%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school29%
Some college21%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.7 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 62.5, men 64.2.
| Mercer | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.1% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.5% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.1% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 25.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 19.3% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.6% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.9% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.6% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.3% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,600, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Mercer’s workers commute out
About one in 3 of Mercer’s working residents works in town. Mercer’s median household income is $63,000. Since 2013, Mercer has added 34 jobs, to 371 in 2023.
31%work in town
| Mercer | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 31% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Mercer31%
Hurley5%
Lac du Flambeau5%
Manitowish Waters4%
Minocqua3%
20 mi
median commute distance
371
jobs based in Mercer
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Mercer
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities. Since 2013, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Mercer.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2013
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mercer stands out in Wisconsin and nationally: a typical July afternoon there is cooler
The July high in Mercer is 77°F. Mercer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
75″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–24°
Spring26–50°
Summer52–75°
Fall33–52°
Sep 21
typical first frost
May 25
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Residents of Mercer are less healthy than 56% of U.S. towns
Mercer beats the Wisconsin average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 16% of adults have diabetes in Mercer. Only 1 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Mercer.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Mercer | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 11% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
9 better14 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Mercer | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.1% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.3% | 5.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.3% | 6.6% |
Flambeau Hospital
21.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C+
A typical Mercer home is worth about $325K
The typical Mercer home is worth about $325,000, up 9.5% in a year, close to the Wisconsin typical home. No town among the 341 in Wisconsin we compare has a lower median rent than Mercer.
$325KZillow home value
| Mercer | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $338 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 90% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Mercer$325K
Wisconsin$337K
+9.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mercer
18pages on Mercer
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mercer; the nearest are
Gogebic Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ironwood, MI22.2 mi$4,800 in-state tuitionLac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hayward60.9 mi$6,030 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Mercer residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Get outside
51 miles of trails in Mercer
50.8% of the town is conserved land, across 14 parks and preserves.
1
Iron County Forest14.6 mi of trails · 33,370 acres
2
Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area7.6 mi of trails · 15,602 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
About Mercer
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Mercer is a town in southern Iron County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,649 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of Mercer and the unincorporated communities of Carter and Manitowish are located within the town. Mercer identifies itself as the "Loon Capital of the World" to promote tourism. A wildlife study found Mercer had the highest concentration of common loons in the world. In front of the Mercer Chamber of Commerce's information center, there is a 16-foot (4.9 m), 2,000-pound (910 kg) statue named "Claire de Loon". Mercer also hosts an annual "Loon Day" festival, which features an arts and crafts fair, live music and a loon calling contest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 185 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,611 ft
- ZIP code
- 54547
Mercer’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Mercer.
ShermanOmaKnightCareyAgendaWinchesterManitowish WatersMercer
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | — | — | C+ | — | C− | C+ |
| Sherman | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oma | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Knight | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Carey | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Agenda | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Winchester | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Manitowish Waters | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Mercer has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Mercer reports no FBI crime data of its own. Sherman, Oma, Knight, Carey, Agenda, Winchester and Manitowish Waters aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Mercer with a neighbor →
Questions about Mercer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mercer, WI a good place to live?
3.7 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Wisconsin town.
Is Mercer, 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 C+.