The Town FilesBear Lake, Wisconsin
Town in Barron County · population 670 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $263,700
- Household income
- $82,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 49.8
Bear Lake is a town of 670 people in Barron County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $263,700, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 95% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 92% of Wisconsin towns, better for retirees than 91% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bear 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 Bear Lake is worth $263,700, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $82,083, which is more affordable than 48% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 89.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bear Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $263,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $775 | $951 |
| Median household income | $82,083 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 89.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.4% | — |
Who lives in Bear Lake
| People | Bear Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 19.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bear Lake
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 0.3°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.6 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 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 Lake since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 11, 1990 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 57 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on September 21, 2005.
Severe weather in Barron County since 1996
Barron 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 27, 2019 | Flood | DR-4459: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 Barron County
Barron County had 21,519 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,983 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Bear Lake itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Towns near Bear Lake
- Stanfold, WI5.1 mi · 701 people · home $282,200
- Lakeland, WI5.8 mi · 938 people · home $267,500
- Oak Grove, WI6.7 mi · 960 people · home $228,000
- Cumberland, WI8.0 mi · 818 people · home $247,700
- Rice Lake, WI8.3 mi · 2,813 people · home $237,000
- Rice Lake, WI9.0 mi · 9,040 people · home $193,800
- Cumberland, WI9.3 mi · 2,274 people · home $181,100
- Long Lake, WI9.5 mi · 628 people · home $405,600
Bear Lake questions
Is Bear Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bear Lake scores better for retirees than 91% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 95%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Bear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Bear Lake is valued at $263,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,083, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Bear Lake?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 0.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 55.6 inches of snow.
Does Bear Lake get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bear Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 11, 1990. 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)