Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
33% of residents are 65 or older in Superior, against 20% in Wisconsin’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Only 2 of the 363 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Superior. Superior has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Superior beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 11,983 in 1890, a peak of 40,384 in 1910, 26,751 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1886 and 5 maps from 1954 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Superior, 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.
Ordered by what stands out in Superior.
People 65 and older are 33% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). Superior’s median age is 51.6 years, above both the Wisconsin town median (42.1 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Superior | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 16% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 32% | 29% |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.8 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Superior | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.1% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.1% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.5% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 22.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.7% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 37.5% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.2% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.8% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.2% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.6% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Superior for work: only 1% work in town. Superior’s average trip to work is 18 minutes. Jobs based in Superior fell to 85 in 2023, 28 fewer than in 2013.
| Superior | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Superior has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Superior is 78°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Superior beats the Wisconsin average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 31% of Superior adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Superior | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 32% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| What stands out | Superior | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.1% | 9.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Superior | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.1% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Douglas County Forest | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Superior. Close and well known come first.
9 mi Zoo & aquariumGreat Lakes Aquarium
9 mi MuseumLake Superior Railroad Museum
9 mi MuseumDuluth Depot
5 mi MuseumFairlawn Mansion7 mi Zoo & aquariumLake Superior Zoo
9 mi MuseumLake Superior Maritime Visitor CenterGreat Lakes Aquarium: Tmajewski, Public domain · Lake Superior Railroad Museum: User resedabear on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 · Duluth Depot: Hikki Nagasaki, Public domain · Fairlawn Mansion: Nfarmakes, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
4 within 15 miles of the center of Superior
About 1 of every 100 Superior residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Superior’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
45 notable people were born in Superior.
City and county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 26,751 at the 2020 census. Superior and nearby Duluth, Minnesota, sit at the western tip of Lake Superior and together form the Twin Ports, a major Great Lakes harbor. Bordered by Saint Louis, Superior, and Allouez bays, the city is framed by two rivers: the Nemadji and the Saint Louis. Superior is at the junction of U.S. Route 2 and U.S. Route 53 immediately north of, and adjacent to, both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior. It is an industrial city, with ship harbors along two sides, several large rail yards, an oil refinery, and a shipyard. Superior and neighboring Duluth…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Superior has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
45 notable people were born here, including Oliver E. Williamson and Jeffrey Williams.
