Boulder Junction is a town in Vilas County, Wisconsin, home to about 1,483 people across 79 square miles. Its ZIP code is 54512, and parts of 54545 are in Boulder Junction too.
Homes sold for a median of $338 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Population1,48319 per sq mi
Median home value$313,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$338Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Manitowish Waters; part is in Boulder Junction
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Boulder Junction. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Boulder Junction guide is on the way
We’re writing up Boulder Junction’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do
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Around Boulder Junction
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)193 miles away
Closer regional airport
Rhinelander Oneida County Airport (RHI)34 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
St. Paul, MN186 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL311 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Boulder Junction; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Population over time
Boulder Junction had 1,057 residents in the 2020 census, up 10% since 2000.
It’s the 612th largest of 1,889 towns in Wisconsin by population.
Vilas County grew from 4,929 residents in 1900 to 23,047 in 2020.
Vilas County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 78°F in summer, and winter lows average 0°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 75 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Rest Lake, WI weather station (11 miles away).
Jobs in Vilas County
5,887 jobs at 961 businesses in Vilas County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
Nearest hospitals
Howard Young Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Woodruff15.4 miles
Marshfield Medical Center - MinocquaGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Minocqua15.9 miles
Aspirus Eagle River HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Eagle River22.8 miles
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Places in and around Boulder Junction
Parks (3 nearby)
Day Lake State Natural Area4.5 mi
High Lake Spruce-Balsam Forest State Natural Area5.0 mi
Escanaba Lake Hemlocks State Natural Area5.1 mi
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Lakewood Market0.3 mi
Libraries (1 nearby)
Boulder Junction Public Library0.5 mi
Museums
Nature Center7.6 mi
Counts are within about 6 miles of the center of town.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.