The Town FilesEagle River, Wisconsin
City in Vilas County · population 1,628 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $213,900
- Household income
- $55,179
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 77 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 47.3
Eagle River is a city of 1,628 people in Vilas County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $213,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks hipper than 94% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 86% of Wisconsin towns, quieter than 80% of Wisconsin towns.
How Eagle River 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 Eagle River is worth $213,900, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $55,179, which is more affordable than 16% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $928 a month. 48.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Eagle River | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,900 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $928 | $951 |
| Median household income | $55,179 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 48.6% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.3% | — |
Who lives in Eagle River
| People | Eagle River | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.3 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.0% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.7% | 89.1% |
Weather in Eagle River
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.2°F. About 32.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 76.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eagle River since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 13, 1981 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 5, 1999.
Severe weather in Vilas County since 1996
Vilas County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Tornado | DR-4949: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| August 16, 1999 | Flood | DR-1284: Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
Jobs and pay in Vilas County
Vilas County had 8,275 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,114 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Eagle River itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Eagle River
4 public schools with 1,112 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northland Pines Elementary-Eagle River | PK-6 | 497 | 12.1 |
| Northland Pines High | 9-12 | 372 | 12.8 |
| Northland Pines Middle | 7-8 | 170 | 14.2 |
| School of Options and Applied Research High (charter) | 8-12 | 73 | 18.3 |
Towns near Eagle River
- Lincoln, WI1.3 mi · 2,659 people · home $290,600
- Cloverland, WI5.3 mi · 1,068 people · home $272,000
- Washington, WI6.0 mi · 1,587 people · home $334,700
- Three Lakes, WI9.3 mi · 605 people · home $170,000
- Conover, WI9.4 mi · 1,318 people · home $273,600
- Sugar Camp, WI9.5 mi · 1,819 people · home $280,700
- Three Lakes, WI9.8 mi · 2,413 people · home $325,500
- St. Germain, WI11.7 mi · 2,083 people · home $255,600
Eagle River questions
Is Eagle River, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Eagle River scores better for retirees than 70% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 80%. 26.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).
How much does a house cost in Eagle River?
The median owner-occupied home in Eagle River is valued at $213,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,179, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $928 a month.
What is the weather like in Eagle River?
July highs average 78.1°F and January lows 2.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.1 inches of precipitation a year and 76.5 inches of snow.
Does Eagle River get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Eagle River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 13, 1981. 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)