RuskWI
A town of 486.
Is Rusk a good place to live?
22% of residents live below the poverty line in Rusk, above both the Wisconsin town median (6.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 3 have a lower January low than Rusk. The biggest place to walk is Burnett County Forest, 5,556 acres with 9 miles of trail. Rusk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
486 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Rusk: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rusk, 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 Rusk.
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Rusk’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Rusk for work: only 1% work in town. At $70,000, Rusk’s median household income is against $87,000 in Wisconsin’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Webster (9%), Spooner (7%) and La Follette (6%).
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Rusk faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Older than Wisconsin overall
People 65 and older are 29% of residents (19% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 31% of residents (38% statewide). The median age in Rusk is 48.6 years. Rusk has grown 4.1% since 2020, to 486 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.6 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 32% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 40% and 63% women
The Census survey reached too few of Rusk’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±11.6 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Rusk | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.7% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.7% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.3% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.9% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.5% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 21.2% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.5% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 40.2% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.7% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 5.7% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.1% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.8% | 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
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Rusk
Rusk has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Rusk’s July high is 81°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A larger share of adults in Rusk have diabetes than in the typical Wisconsin or U.S. town
15% of adults have diabetes in Rusk. Only 7 of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Rusk. 31% of adults get no exercise outside work in Rusk.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Rusk | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 88.1% | 85.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.3% | 6.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Rusk has set aside 1.1% of its land for conservation
9.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burnett County Forest | 9 mi | 5,556 |
| 2. Yellow River Access | — | 35 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Rusk
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Rusk; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Rusk residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
99% of working residents leave Rusk for work
Where Rusk’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Rusk
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Rusk is a town located in Burnett County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 470. The unincorporated community of Gaslyn is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 35 sq mi
- Elevation
- 974 ft
Questions about Rusk
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rusk, WI a good place to live?
Rusk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.