RuskWI
A town of 569.
Is Rusk a good place to live?
Rusk has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
569 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.
Rusk stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with fewer of its residents who are under 18
Rusk has grown 3.8% since 2020, to 569 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. Its midpoint age stands at 58.3 years. Here, 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 33% in Wisconsin as a whole.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 9.4% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 58.3 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 32% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
44% women, 56% men
About 129 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5.7 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Rusk | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.5% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.8% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.1% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.7% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 24.6% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 22.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.1% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.6% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.3% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.6% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.2% | 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
Compared with most of Wisconsin and the rest of the country, the average trip to work in Rusk is longer
Only 2 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Rusk. Rusk: 1.1% of working residents work locally. Half of commuters travel less than 22 miles. In Rusk, 7% of workers work remotely from home, against 12% in Wisconsin’s towns and 11% across U.S. towns.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 43 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 0.8% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 7% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Rusk is
Against the Wisconsin average, Rusk comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 8. The share of adults in Rusk who report frequent physical distress: 15%.
| Rusk | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| What stands out | Rusk | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.8% | 77.8% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.9% | 85.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.8% | 6.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards: moderate risk in Rusk, mostly inland flooding
Compared with 57% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Rusk is lower. FEMA puts 48% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 38% to cold waves.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rusk County Forest | — | 17 |
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 7 of every 100 Rusk residents are enrolled in college, about the same as 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 in Rusk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 551 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Bear Lake is located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,286 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.