City in Sawyer County
Hayward
- Population
- 2,533
- County
- Sawyer County
- Location
- 46.007, -91.490
Hayward is an incorporated city and the county seat of Sawyer County in northwestern Wisconsin, with a 2020 Census population of 2,533 across about 3.17 square miles of land on the Namekagon River. Founded on the 19th-century lumber trade (named for Eau Claire lumberman Anthony Judson Hayward), it runs a mayor-council government under Mayor Gary Gillis and today anchors a Northwoods economy built on outdoor-recreation tourism, healthcare, education, and county government. Hayward is nationally known as a fishing and winter-sports destination: it is home to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and its giant fiberglass muskie, the finish town of the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race, and the host of the Lumberjack World Championships and the annual Musky Festival. Key anchors include the Hayward Community School District, the Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library, Marshfield Clinic Health System's Hayward presence, and the Sawyer County Record as the local paper of record.
The record
752 records name Hayward
- 439 news
- 214 events
- 89 government
- 7 opinion
- 2 obituaries
- 1 notices
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events October 8, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Bay-Area Fall 2026 Scores & Schedule News October 5, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Historic ski jump in Ironwood, Michigan, undergoes renovation to host international tournaments News October 5, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events October 5, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Platinum and Proud: PFHS Class of 1956 holds its 70th reunion News October 1, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events October 1, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Letter: Vote for Fred Clark Opinion September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Circuit court News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Muskies Inc. hosts 435 musky hunters in annual tourney News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Muskies Inc. hosts 435 musky hunters in anual tourney News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Get cozy this October with Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Real estate News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hurricane harriers run at Barron, Fort Snelling News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Wolter report: River spawning appears to save the day for Chip walleye News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hurricane spikers have a vusy week News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Meet Your Neighbor: Emily Caves News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Time machine News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Historical society to meet at Lumber Exchange News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Birkie Trail Run draws 900 runners to autumn trails News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- School board approves preliminary budget, tax levy News September 30, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Bay-Area Fall 2026 Athletic Schedule News September 28, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events September 28, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events September 24, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Cable celebrates fall festival Sept. 25-26 News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Bloomer tops Canes in football, 15-6. News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Real estate News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Circuit court News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Lakes Muskies Inc. hosts fall tournament Sept. 25-27 News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- County Board hears about sustainable aviation fuel News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Fishing Has No Boundaries hosts veterans on Nelson Lake News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Chequamegon MTB Festival has nearly 2,000 racers News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- School board approves sports admission fees News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Schools annual meeting is Sept. 28 News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Wolter report: Weirgor trout taking off News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Area Happenings News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Community choir cantata rehearsals begin News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward United Soccer plays league games in Eau Claire News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hurricane harriers run at Rice Lake, Minneapolis News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Lumber Exchange opens its doors to first event, Business After 5 News September 23, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Marvin Lee Brandt News September 22, 2026 via lakelandtimes.com paywalled
Showing the 40 most recent of 752. Every one is held, cited, and searchable in the archive.
What the records show
35 of 45 independently verified
Authoritative data
- Population: 2533 (2020 census), 2552 (latest official estimate) via doa.wi.gov
- Area: 3.725 sq mi land, 0.235 sq mi water, at 46.006588, -91.489684 via www2.census.gov
- Sawyer County holds 247 named lakes and flowages via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
- Named lakes nearest this town: Hayward Flowage 94, Shues Pond, Hayward Lake, Indian School Lake, Little Spring Lake, Little Round Lake, Mud Lake, Smith Lake via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
Overview
- Name: City of Hayward via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Type: city via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- County: Sawyer County (county seat) via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Coordinates: 46.01 N, 91.48 W secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Land area: 3.17 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
Population and demographics
- 2020 census: 2533 via data.census.gov
- Acs estimate: not confirmed unverified via data.census.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Median income: not confirmed unverified via data.census.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Seasonal swing: large seasonal influx (not quantified) unverified via haywardareachamber.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Government and civic
- Form: mayor-council (mayor + ward alderpersons) via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Mayor: Gary Gillis via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Council: 8 alderpersons across 6 wards via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Clerk: Lisa Poppe via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Meeting schedule: 2nd Monday monthly, 6:00 p.m., City Hall via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Site: cityofhaywardwi.gov; 15889 W 3rd St via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Notices: posted on cityofhaywardwi.gov (Meeting Minutes / Notices) via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Administrator: no separate administrator identified unverified via cityofhaywardwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Schools
- District: Hayward Community School District via hayward.k12.wi.us
- Schools: 6 schools via hayward.k12.wi.us
- Site: hayward.k12.wi.us via hayward.k12.wi.us
- Enrollment: 1891 unverified via nces.ed.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Economy and employers
- Industry: tourism + healthcare + education + government via cityofhaywardwi.gov
- Tourism: tourism a core economic pillar via haywardareachamber.com
- Employers: LCO gaming, Marshfield Clinic, school district, county, L-P/Trussworks/Arclin unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Institutions and anchors
- Library: Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library via weisscommunitylibrary.com
- Fishing hof: National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame via freshwater-fishing.org
- Hospital: Marshfield Clinic Health System (Hayward) unverified via marshfieldclinic.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Business and commerce
- Chamber: Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce via haywardareachamber.com
- Downtown identity: fishing + lumberjack heritage downtown via downtownhaywardwi.com
Media
- Paper of record: Sawyer County Record via apg-wi.com
Recreation and natural assets
- Namekagon: Namekagon River (St. Croix National Scenic Riverway) via nps.gov
- Muskie: giant muskie (~143 ft) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Forest trails: Chequamegon-Nicolet NF; Birkie Trail unverified via birkie.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Events and seasonal rhythm
- Musky fest: Musky Festival (June) via muskyfest.com
- Lumberjack: Lumberjack World Championships (July) via lumberjackworldchampionships.com
- Birkebeiner: American Birkebeiner (February) via birkie.com
- Seasonal identity: summer festivals + winter Birkie via haywardareachamber.com
Infrastructure and access
- Highways: US 63; WI 27, 77; CTH B secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Airport: Sawyer County Airport (KHYR) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Hub role: Hayward is the county hub; Ashland ~70 mi N unverified via cityofhaywardwi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Broadband: broadband present (unquantified) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Local government
In memory, from Hayward
Every figure here traces to a primary public record, linked at the fact. We gather and cite; we do not author. See something off? Tell us.