Plum LakeWI
A town of 573.
Is Plum Lake a good place to live?
36% of residents are 65 or older in Plum Lake, above both Wisconsin’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 2 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Plum Lake. Northern Highland American Legion State Forest, at 36,306 acres with 40.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Plum Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
573 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Plum Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plum Lake, 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 Plum Lake.
Compared with most of Wisconsin and the rest of the country, the median age in Plum Lake is higher
At 58 years, Plum Lake’s median age is where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 42.1 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Plum Lake has grown 4.8% since 2020, to 573 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. People 65 and older are 36% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 12% of residents (21% statewide).
| Plum Lake | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 29% | 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 ±3.1 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Plum Lake | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.8% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.4% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 2.8% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.6% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.7% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.1% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 32.9% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.1% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.1% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 600, single groups can be off by several points
Low risk in Plum Lake, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Plum Lake stands out in Wisconsin and nationally: a typical July afternoon there is cooler
The July high in Plum Lake is 77°F. Plum Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents commute out of Plum Lake
Most working residents leave Plum Lake for work: only 1% work in town. Plum Lake’s average trip to work is 30 minutes. Jobs based in Plum Lake grew to 147 in 2023, 34 more than in 2013.
| Plum Lake | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy Plum Lake is
Plum Lake beats the Wisconsin average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 25% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Plum Lake. Among 358 Wisconsin towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Plum Lake.
| Plum Lake | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| What stands out | Plum Lake | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6% | 9.7% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.5% | 5.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.6% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Plum Lake | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.2% | 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. Northern Highland American Legion State Forest | 40.2 mi | 36,306 |
| 2. Vilas County Forest- Langley Lake Unit | 5.6 mi | 1,996 |
| 3. Vilas County Forest- Decker Lake Unit | 1.9 mi | 717 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Plum Lake
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Plum Lake; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Plum Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Plum Lake
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Plum Lake is a town in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 553 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of Sayner and the unincorporated community of Star Lake are located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 100 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,673 ft
Questions about Plum Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Plum Lake, WI a good place to live?
Plum Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.