The Greater Northwoods

Town in Vilas County

Town of Phelps

Population
1,238
County
Vilas County
Location
46.047, -89.067

The Town of Phelps is a civil town in northeastern Vilas County, Wisconsin, roughly 15 miles northeast of Eagle River in the Greater Northwoods. Chartered in 1905 and shaped first by the logging industry, it now identifies as a four-season Northwoods vacation destination (branded #PhelpsOnTheLake) built around 41 lakes and the surrounding Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which covers about three-quarters of the township. Its 2020 census population was 1,238, with a Wisconsin DOA final estimate of 1,246 for 2025 and an older, retirement-heavy age profile (ACS median age near 61). Government runs through a five-member town board (Chairman Steve Doyen) with a Clerk/Treasurer, the town is reached by Wisconsin Highway 17, and its anchors include the Phelps School District, the Eleanor Ellis Public Library, and a volunteer EMS and fire department.

The record

362 records name Town of Phelps

  • 204 obituaries
  • 144 news
  • 13 events
  • 1 opinion

Showing the 40 most recent of 362. Every one is held, cited, and searchable in the archive.

What the records show

41 of 50 independently verified

Authoritative data

  • Population: 1238 (2020 census), 1246 (latest official estimate) via doa.wi.gov
  • Area: 93.905 sq mi land, 14.516 sq mi water, at 46.047199, -89.067194 via www2.census.gov
  • Vilas County holds 570 named lakes and flowages via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
  • Named lakes nearest this town: Stub Walsh Lake, Noseeum Lake, Ellen Lake, Camp One Lake, Muskeg Lake, Manuel Lake, Long Lake, Long and Big Sand Lakes 15, Baker Lake, Afterglow Lake, Camp Two Lake, Vista Lake, Goodall Lake, Catherine Lake and 23 more via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com

Overview

Population and demographics

  • 2020: 1238 via doa.wi.gov
  • 2025 est: 1246 via doa.wi.gov
  • Voting age: 1100 via doa.wi.gov
  • Median income: 71250 unverified via censusreporter.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Per capita income: 50027 unverified via censusreporter.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Median age: 61.3 unverified via censusreporter.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
  • Seasonal swing: None unverified via phelpswi.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Government and civic

Schools

Economy and employers

  • Industry: logging heritage, tourism-driven via phelpswi.gov
  • Employers: None unverified via phelpswi.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.

Institutions and anchors

Business and commerce

Media

Recreation and natural assets

Events and seasonal rhythm

Infrastructure and access

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.

All Northwoods towns