The Town FilesBruce, Wisconsin
Village in Rusk County · population 781 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $87,100
- Household income
- $52,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 31.8
Bruce is a village of 781 people in Rusk County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $87,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 87% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 86% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bruce 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 Bruce is worth $87,100, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $52,667, which is more affordable than 99% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $625 a month. 68.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bruce | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $87,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $625 | $951 |
| Median household income | $52,667 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 68.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Bruce
| People | Bruce | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.8 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 34.4 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bruce
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 34.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bruce since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 16, 2017 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 8, 2000.
Severe weather in Rusk County since 1996
Rusk County has been included in 12 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 Rusk County
Rusk County had 4,597 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,068 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Bruce itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Bruce
3 public schools with 406 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Elementary | PK-5 | 204 | 9.3 |
| Bruce High | 9-12 | 120 | 10.9 |
| Bruce Middle | 6-8 | 82 | 9.1 |
Towns near Bruce
- Thornapple, WI3.6 mi · 721 people · home $180,900
- Stubbs, WI3.7 mi · 523 people · home $178,100
- Atlanta, WI4.3 mi · 560 people · home $175,000
- Grant, WI7.8 mi · 732 people · home $172,600
- Flambeau, WI8.3 mi · 987 people · home $166,100
- Ladysmith, WI8.8 mi · 3,216 people · home $124,200
- Willard, WI11.9 mi · 525 people · home $222,000
- Rusk, WI13.4 mi · 551 people · home $209,800
Bruce questions
Is Bruce, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bruce scores better for retirees than 58% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 84%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.8).
How much does a house cost in Bruce?
The median owner-occupied home in Bruce is valued at $87,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,667, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $625 a month.
What is the weather like in Bruce?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.2 inches of precipitation a year and 49.4 inches of snow.
Does Bruce get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bruce since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 16, 2017. 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)