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Chief Lake, WI
Census-designated place in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
Population
660
Land area
21.3sq mi
People per sq mi
31
ZIP codes
0
Chief Lake and its ZIP codes
Chief Lake at a glance
- Chief Lake is 72% less dense than Wisconsin as a whole.
- Households here earn a median of $70,833 a year, 9% less than the Wisconsin figure of $77,485.
- A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $215,000 (19% below Wisconsin) and median rent is $721 a month.
Local data for Chief Lake, WI
Counts from official public data
Housing and community stats
Chief Lake, WI, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Median household income
$70,833
Poverty rate
23.3%
Median home value
$215,000
Median rent
$721/mo
Homeownership
78.7%
Bachelor's or higher
25.6%
Median age
49.6
Average commute
19.1 min
Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (75), Irish Americans (31), Norwegian Americans (23).
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Sawyer County. PPP loans are for Chief Lake.
Unemployment rate
3.2%
Sep 2026, +0.5 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$50,741
7,329 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$56,759
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$196M
FY 2026, $10,820 per person
How people get to work
Chief Lake, WI, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Drove alone70.0%
- Carpooled11.2%
- Public transit1.2%
- Walked0.0%
- Bicycle0.0%
- Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.0%
- Worked from home17.6%
Average one-way commute: 19.1 minutes for people who do not work from home.
Environment and hazard risk
Chief Lake, WI, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Top: cold wave
Storm events since 1996
509
Countywide, mostly hail
Flood insurance policies
51
0.4% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
80° / 2°F
31.3 inches of rain a year
Health statistics
Share of adults in Chief Lake, WI, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
39.9%
U.S. 33.3% +6.6 pts
Diabetes
18.6%
U.S. 12.1% +6.5 pts
Smoking
25.1%
U.S. 12.8% +12.3 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
9.6%
U.S. 11.1% -1.5 pts
Cities near Chief Lake
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Little Round LakeCensus-designated place | 3.5 mi | 9 |
| ReserveCensus-designated place | 6.3 mi | 52.9 |
| HaywardCity | 8.9 mi | 3.7 |
| New PostCensus-designated place | 9.1 mi | 20.6 |
| CouderayVillage | 9.1 mi | 1 |
| Stone LakeCensus-designated place | 12 mi | 0.9 |
| RadissonVillage | 13 mi | 0.4 |
| WinterVillage | 17 mi | 0.8 |
| SpringbrookCensus-designated place | 17 mi | 0.7 |
| ExelandVillage | 19 mi | 1.2 |
| CableCensus-designated place | 19 mi | 1.1 |
| BirchwoodVillage | 22 mi | 1.1 |
| TregoCensus-designated place | 24 mi | 1.1 |
| Clam LakeCensus-designated place | 26 mi | 0.4 |
| MinongVillage | 26 mi | 1.5 |
| SpoonerCity | 28 mi | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is Chief Lake, WI in?
- Chief Lake is in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
- What is the population of Chief Lake, WI?
- About 660 people live in Chief Lake, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near Chief Lake?
- Nearby places include Little Round Lake (3.5 mi), Reserve (6.3 mi), Hayward (8.9 mi), New Post (9.1 mi), Couderay (9.1 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023