WWC Swiss Township Cemetery, 2009
Swiss’s story
127 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
- 1899Swiss is settled
SwissWI
A town of 835, settled in 1899.
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
835
2025 Census estimate · +3.2% since 2020
Median home value
$253K
Census ACS
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
59.6
years
Jobs based here
318
Balanced
Is Swiss a good place to live?
37% of residents are 65 or older in Swiss, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 20% and U.S. towns at 18%. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 3 have a higher median age than Swiss. 13% of the land in Swiss is conserved, against 3.8% in Wisconsin’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Burnett County Forest, at 20,708 acres with 53.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Swiss has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
835 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Ogema TownshipDanburyBlaineOaklandWebb LakeUnionJacksonSwiss
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Swiss: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Swiss, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthwestern Wisconsin Elec14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDanbury Sanitary District1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Swiss’ trash rules yet
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 Swiss ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code5483054830 100%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 Swiss.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Swiss
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 80% of U.S. communities. Since 2005, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Swiss.
20risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
6
paid flood claims since 2005
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Swiss
Swiss has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Swiss’ July high is 80°F.
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–25°
Spring30–53°
Summer55–78°
Fall35–55°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
12.7% of Swiss is conserved land
58 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The trail density in Swiss is 1.0 miles per square mile.
12.7%conserved
12.7%
conserved · 4,911 of 38,638 acres
58 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burnett County Forest | 53.1 mi | 20,708 |
| 2. Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway | 0.1 mi | 1,396 |
| 3. Governor Knowles State Forest | — | 756 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Swiss draws in 295 commuters
Most working residents leave Swiss for work: only 9% work in town. Since 2013, Swiss has lost 110 jobs, to 318 in 2023. 12% of residents live below the poverty line in Swiss.
9%work in town
| Swiss | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Swiss9%
Webster13%
La Follette5%
Siren3%
Scott3%
25 mi
median commute distance
318
jobs based in Swiss
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Swiss stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with more of its adults who have diabetes
17% of Swiss adults have diabetes. Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Swiss. 21% of Swiss adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Swiss | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
6 better14 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Swiss | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.6% | 19% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.6% | 9.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.3% | 6.6% |
Spooner Health System
19.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Swiss
17pages on Swiss
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Swiss; the nearest are
Pine Technical & Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pine City, MN35.3 mi$4,738 in-state tuitionLac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Hayward45 mi$6,030 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Swiss residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About Swiss
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Swiss is a town in Burnett County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 807 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Danbury is located within the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 61 sq mi
- Elevation
- 974 ft
Questions about Swiss
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Swiss, WI a good place to live?
Swiss has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.