The Town FilesBradley, Wisconsin
Town in Lincoln County · population 2,382 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $267,000
- Household income
- $76,193
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 58.3
Bradley is a town of 2,382 people in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $267,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks quieter than 88% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 76% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bradley 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 Bradley is worth $267,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $76,193, which is more affordable than 32% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $750 a month. 94.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bradley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $267,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $750 | $951 |
| Median household income | $76,193 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 94.2% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 45.5% | — |
Who lives in Bradley
| People | Bradley | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.7% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bradley
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 2.2°F. About 31.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradley since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 30, 2002 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 25, 2008.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 9 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 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3249: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| September 10, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1432: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| July 2, 1993 | Severe Storm | DR-994: Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 9,997 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,054 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Bradley itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Towns near Bradley
- Tomahawk, WI5.6 mi · 3,441 people · home $173,300
- Rock Falls, WI6.5 mi · 635 people · home $165,900
- Birch, WI8.5 mi · 570 people · home $218,400
- King, WI9.8 mi · 964 people · home $299,600
- Merrill, WI12.0 mi · 2,881 people · home $197,500
- Corning, WI12.8 mi · 825 people · home $211,200
- Russell, WI13.1 mi · 693 people · home $204,400
- Harrison, WI13.4 mi · 828 people · home $264,200
Bradley questions
Is Bradley, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bradley scores better for retirees than 40% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 88%. 34.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.3).
How much does a house cost in Bradley?
The median owner-occupied home in Bradley is valued at $267,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,193, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $750 a month.
What is the weather like in Bradley?
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 2.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.5 inches of precipitation a year and 59.3 inches of snow.
Does Bradley get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 30, 2002. 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)