Why visit Chetek
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 5 parks and trails, 15 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 2°F, and about 52 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Chetek
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chetek
Chetek is a city in Barron County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,172 at the 2020 census, down from 2,221 at the 2010 census. The city is partially within the Town of Chetek.
From the Wikipedia article Chetek, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes15
3 more on the map.
Where to stay1
History
The original inhabitants of the area were the Ojibwe Indians, who referred to the area as zhedeg, meaning "pelicans". This was variously transliterated as "Sheetak", "Shetak", "Shetuk", and "Chetack", until the first post office was opened in 1872, when the spelling was standardized as "Chetek".
In 1872, the Omaha Railroad began service to Chetek, the Knapp-Stout logging camp was established, and the first log schoolhouse was built.
1882 – The Chetek Alert began publication, a newspaper still serving the area.
2010 – School District of Chetek consolidated with Weyerhaeuser School District.
2017 – An EF3 tornado swept through the town, killing one and injuring 25, as well as damaging and destroying structures.
From the History section of Chetek, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser High School/Middle School
School · 0.6 mi
1001 Knapp Street, Chetek
Healthcare1
Map of Chetek
38 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 2°F | 0.9 in | 10.5 in |
| Feb | 27°F | 5°F | 0.8 in | 10.7 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 1.5 in | 8.9 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 32°F | 2.8 in | 3.5 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 3.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 55°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 59°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 56°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 48°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 57°F | 35°F | 3.0 in | 0.8 in |
| Nov | 40°F | 23°F | 1.7 in | 5.7 in |
| Dec | 27°F | 10°F | 1.2 in | 11.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rice Lake (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Barron County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-09-10: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
- 2001-05-11: Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Rice Lake Regional Airport (RIE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Barron 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Bloomer 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Colfax 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Cornell 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Boyceville 27 mi southwest, about 43 min by car
- Chippewa Falls 29 mi southeast, about 47 min by car
- Shell Lake 31 mi northwest, about 50 min by car
- Menomonie 32 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
- Eau Claire 35 mi south, about 57 min by car
- Amery 35 mi west, about 56 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- US Highway 53 at Chetek WI, Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
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