The Town FilesBear Creek, Wisconsin
Town in Waupaca County · population 748 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $256,000
- Household income
- $69,412
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 46.0
Bear Creek is a town of 748 people in Waupaca County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $256,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 93% of Wisconsin towns, easier by car than 86% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bear Creek 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 Bear Creek is worth $256,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $69,412, which is more affordable than 23% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,213 a month. 79.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bear Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,213 | $951 |
| Median household income | $69,412 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 79.4% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bear Creek
| People | Bear Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.0 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bear Creek
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 7.3°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 169 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bear Creek since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 26, 1951 about 5.4 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 23, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 15, 2003.
Severe weather in Waupaca County since 1996
Waupaca County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Waupaca County
Waupaca County had 18,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,246 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Bear Creek itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Bear Creek
- Clintonville, WI5.6 mi · 4,591 people · home $112,000
- Union, WI5.9 mi · 778 people · home $280,600
- Deer Creek, WI6.0 mi · 630 people · home $225,800
- Lebanon, WI6.1 mi · 1,619 people · home $238,500
- Larrabee, WI6.2 mi · 1,286 people · home $176,400
- Maple Creek, WI7.4 mi · 591 people · home $252,000
- Manawa, WI8.6 mi · 1,441 people · home $159,400
- Matteson, WI8.8 mi · 914 people · home $232,200
Bear Creek questions
Is Bear Creek, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bear Creek scores better for retirees than 41% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 93%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.0).
How much does a house cost in Bear Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Bear Creek is valued at $256,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,412, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,213 a month.
What is the weather like in Bear Creek?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 7.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 44.3 inches of snow.
Does Bear Creek get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bear Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 26, 1951. 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)