The Town FilesBass Lake, Wisconsin
Town in Washburn County · population 566 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,000
- Household income
- $66,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.3
Bass Lake is a town of 566 people in Washburn County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $230,000, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bass Lake ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bass Lake is worth $230,000, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $66,625, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. 87.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bass Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | — | $951 |
| Median household income | $66,625 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.3% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 22.6% | — |
Who lives in Bass Lake
| People | Bass Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bass Lake
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 2.9°F. About 32.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bass Lake since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 9, 1992 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 9, 2022.
Severe weather in Washburn County since 1996
Washburn County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Washburn County
Washburn County had 5,523 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,282 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Bass Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Bass Lake
- Stone Lake, WI5.5 mi · 515 people · home $246,000
- Springbrook, WI6.0 mi · 504 people · home $155,000
- Hayward, WI6.9 mi · 2,533 people · home $184,700
- Bass Lake, WI7.0 mi · 2,731 people · home $267,000
- Hayward, WI9.8 mi · 3,765 people · home $241,600
- Sand Lake, WI10.5 mi · 901 people · home $297,200
- Little Round Lake, WI11.1 mi · 1,242 people · home —
- Trego, WI11.6 mi · 908 people · home $239,000
Bass Lake questions
Is Bass Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bass Lake scores better for retirees than 83% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 92%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Bass Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Bass Lake is valued at $230,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,625, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Bass Lake?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.3 inches of precipitation a year and 59.4 inches of snow.
Does Bass Lake get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bass Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 9, 1992. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)