Village · Wisconsin
Bruce, Wisconsin
Bruce, village, in Rusk County, Wisconsin. Bruce had 749 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 781 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 900 (±120). GEOID 5510500.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
749
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 781 · ACS 2020-2024: 900 ±120
Median household income
$52,667
±$7,934 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$87,100
±$30,058 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$625
±$169 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Bruce and what county is it in?
Bruce is a village in Rusk County, Wisconsin. It covers 2.3 square miles of land, 338 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bruce, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 749 people lived in Bruce on July 1, 2025, down 3.6% since 2020, while Wisconsin grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 781 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 900 (±120).
| Measure | Bruce | Rusk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 900 ±120 | 14,179 | no clear change |
| Households | 338 ±46 | 6,355 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.66 ±0.25 | 2.20 | +0.51 |
| Housing units | 383 ±49 | 8,663 | no clear change |
Bruce's population since 2000
From 787 in 2000 to 749 in 2025: down 4.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bruce as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bruce?
The median resident of Bruce is 31.8 years old; 29.2% are under 18 and 14.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.0%.
| Measure | Bruce | Rusk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.8 ±1.8 | 49.2 | −10.3 |
| Under 18 years | 29.2% ±3.9 pts | 20.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.3% ±3.0 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±3.3 pts | 51.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.0% ±4.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.2% ±4.6 pts | 93.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±2.6 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.1% ±2.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.0% ±3.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8% ±3.8 pts | 9.0% | – |
| With a disability | 20.3% ±4.6 pts | 17.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.7% ±2.6 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±3.9 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.2% ±3.0 pts | 16.9% | −10.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.5% ±2.1 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±5.6 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bruce earn?
Half of Bruce's 338 households earn less than $52,667 a year (±$7,934), against $59,944 in Rusk County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $48,305 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bruce | Rusk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,667 ±$7,934 | $59,944 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $56,103 ±$5,592 | $73,376 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,341 ±$2,088 | $33,309 | −$4,713 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.9% ±4.8 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.7% ±8.5 pts | 20.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 25.1% ±6.4 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.6% ±4.4 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.9% ±4.6 pts | 84.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bruce?
Owners occupy 68.0% of Bruce's occupied homes and renters 32.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $87,100 by its owner (±$30,058). The median renter pays $625 a month including utilities, and 30.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bruce | Rusk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $87,100 ±$30,058 | $163,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $625 ±$169 | $874 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.9% ±15.3 pts | 34.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $964 ±$168 | $1,260 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.0% ±7.4 pts | 77.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.0% ±7.4 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Housing units | 383 ±49 | 8,663 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.3% ±8.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.4% ±6.9 pts | 84.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.6% ±4.1 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.7% ±7.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1% ±3.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bruce building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Bruce in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.3 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bruce work and get to work?
80.6% of Bruce's workers drive alone and 8.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.4 minutes.
| Measure | Bruce | Rusk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.3% ±6.8 pts | 55.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±4.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.6% ±7.8 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±4.5 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±6.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.0% ±4.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.4 min ±8.9 | 26.9 min | +12.0 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bruce?
No census tract lies mostly in Bruce; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Rusk County | 2,449 | $57,443 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bruce) · Census block assignment files
How does Bruce compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bruce is the 11,511th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 413th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Bruce is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 413th | 608 |
Bruce's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Bruce with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bruce?
18 of the 57 figures for Bruce on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bruce are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bruce.