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
649 records name Hayward
- 340 news
- 212 events
- 89 government
- 5 opinion
- 2 obituaries
- 1 notices
- Pigskin preview Week 2: Hayward (0-1) at Rhinelander (1-0) News August 28, 2026 via rivernewsonline.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events August 27, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Hayward Bass Club holds youth tournament on Chippewa Flowage News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Canes girls golf team starts strong News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Seeley Lions Club hosts Pre-Fat mountain bike race News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Jaeckel-Sheehan Walk raises over $58,000 to fight ALS News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Down on the farm: Homegrown Tomatoes News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Wolter report: 2026 Summer Trout Survey Surprises News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Fall into reading and programming with Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Time machine News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Area Happenings News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Real estate News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Circuit court News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Emerald ash borer identified in City of Hayward News August 26, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Should Apostle Islands be a national park? Some say proposal lacks community buy-in. News August 25, 2026 via wxpr.org
- Hodag Highlights: The Hodag football team kicks off their season - Northwoods Star Journal News August 24, 2026 via starjournalnow.com
- Bay-Area fall 2026 athletic schedule News August 24, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events August 24, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Part of Chippewa Trail in Hayward closed Monday Aug. 24 News August 24, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Authorities identify body in Lake Hayward News August 20, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Gage wins Gold at national skating event News August 20, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Gage wins Gold at national skating event News August 20, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events August 20, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Admin committee seeks resignation from District 15 supervisor News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Letter: Residents had no say on biofuel plant Opinion August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Real estate News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- School board offers sign-on bonus for paraprofessionals News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Time machine News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Woman's body found in Lake Hayward; investigation continues News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Wolter report: Namekagon River Brown Trout Come Back Down to Earth News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Expanded ATV access between Hayward and Seeley Hills News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Meet Your Neighbor: Leah Hansen News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Circuit court News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Area Happenings News August 19, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Bay Area fall 2026 athletic schedule News August 17, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Nelson wins second FastLane Super Stock Series championship at ABC Raceway News August 17, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events August 17, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
- Thunderbirds Ready to Soar: Lakeland Union Football Season Preview News August 14, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Rhinelander Hodags gearing up for 2026 season News August 13, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Hayward Errands Trip Adrc Events August 13, 2026 via lco-nsn.gov
Showing the 40 most recent of 649. 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.