The Town FilesBass Lake, Wisconsin
Town in Sawyer County · population 2,731 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $267,000
- Household income
- $56,071
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 59 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 41.2
Bass Lake is a town of 2,731 people in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $267,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better transit than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 78% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 70% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bass 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 Bass Lake is worth $267,000, close to the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.8 times the median household income of $56,071, which is more affordable than 4% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $404 a month. 68.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bass Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $267,000 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $404 | $951 |
| Median household income | $56,071 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.8× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 68.1% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 38.1% | — |
Who lives in Bass Lake
| People | Bass Lake | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.6% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bass Lake
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 2.9°F. About 32.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.4 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bass Lake since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. The strongest, an F1, struck on August 9, 1992 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 18, 2004.
Severe weather in Sawyer County since 1996
Sawyer 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 |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms 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 Sawyer County
Sawyer County had 7,250 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,406 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Bass Lake itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Towns near Bass Lake
- Hayward, WI4.3 mi · 3,765 people · home $241,600
- Hayward, WI5.2 mi · 2,533 people · home $184,700
Bass Lake questions
Is Bass Lake, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bass Lake scores better for retirees than 48% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 46%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Bass Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Bass Lake is valued at $267,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,071, so homes cost about 4.8 times income. Median rent is $404 a month.
What is the weather like in Bass Lake?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.3 inches of precipitation a year and 59.4 inches of snow.
Does Bass Lake get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bass Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on August 9, 1992. 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)