Birds eye view of Washburn, Wis. Bayfield County 1886, 1886
Washburn’s story
Washburn in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1886.
Explore the history →
WashburnWI
A town of 585.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Travellers & Tinkers · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
585
2025 Census estimate · +4.3% since 2020
Median home value
$248K
Census ACS
Household income
$91K
median
Median age
50.0
years
Jobs based here
26
A commuter town
Is Washburn a good place to live?
70% of the land in Washburn is conserved, above both Wisconsin’s towns (3.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Washburn has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
585 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
BarksdaleBayviewBellTrippCloverWashburnWashburn
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Washburn: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Washburn, and how to reach them.
PowerBayfield Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers90% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Washburn’s 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 Washburn ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code5489154891 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 Washburn.
Outdoors
Protected land: nearly a third of Washburn
50 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve. Washburn’s density of trails is 0.6 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves locally: one, of 1,279 acres.
70%conserved
70%
conserved · 37,786 of 53,953 acres
50 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Shore Lake Superior Fish and Wildlife Area | 0.1 mi | 1,279 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Washburn stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with the FEMA risk score lower than most
FEMA puts 59% of Washburn’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 22% to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 99% of U.S. communities.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Washburn’s workers commute out: the town has 0.1 jobs for each of them
In Washburn, 1.4% of working residents work locally. 4.4% of Washburn residents live below the poverty line, against 6.4% in Wisconsin’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Its average commute comes in at 21 minutes. The top destinations are Washburn (26%), Ashland (26%) and Bayfield (8%).
1%work in town
| Washburn | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $91,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Washburn1%
Washburn26%
Ashland26%
Bayfield8%
Bayfield4%
9 mi
median commute distance
26
jobs based in Washburn
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
The climate in Washburn brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
In Washburn, the typical July afternoon high is 78°F.
74″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–24°
Spring28–51°
Summer53–76°
Fall34–52°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 20
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Washburn
17pages on Washburn
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Washburn
About 3 of every 100 Washburn residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Washburn for work
Where Washburn’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
26jobs based in Washburn
1%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Washburn
3 notable people were born in Washburn.
About Washburn
City in Wisconsin, United States
Washburn is a city and the county seat of Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,051 at the 2020 census. The city is just east of and adjacent to the Town of Washburn. It is in northern Wisconsin, on the shore of Lake Superior's Chequamegon Bay. Wisconsin Highway 13 and County Highway C are the main routes in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 6.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 692 ft
- ZIP code
- 54891
Questions about Washburn
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Washburn, WI a good place to live?
Washburn has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.