City in Oneida County
Rhinelander
- Population
- 8,285
- County
- Oneida County
- Location
- 45.636, -89.426
Rhinelander is an incorporated city and the county seat of Oneida County in Wisconsin's Northwoods, with a 2020 Census population of 8,285 across about 8.42 square miles of land. It runs a mayor-council government (part-time Mayor Kristopher Hanus, an eight-member Common Council, City Administrator Patrick Reagan, and City Clerk Austyn Zarda) and anchors a regional economy built on specialty paper and packaging manufacturing, healthcare, county government, and Northwoods tourism. Rhinelander is best known as the home of the folkloric Hodag, hosts the Hodag Country Festival each July, and serves as the area's transportation hub via U.S. Route 8 and the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport, the only commercial airport in the immediate Northwoods. Key anchors include Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital, the School District of Rhinelander, the Rhinelander District Library, and the Northwoods River News as the county's paper of record.
The record
5,681 records name Rhinelander
- 2,840 news
- 2,809 obituaries
- 26 government
- 6 opinion
- Bad River Band, others to argue against Line 5 reroute permit News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Two teens arrested for vehicle theft in Iowa and high-speed chase in Wood County News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Sheboygan County sheriff’s deputies at polls ignite voter intimidation concerns News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Movies and TV shows casting this week in Milwaukee News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Report: Judge says he mistakenly ruled against Common School Fund changes News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Oneida County passes one-year data center moratorium News August 19, 2026 via wxpr.org
- Wisconsin has spent first $1M on film tax credit program News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Wisconsin measles outbreak continues to grow News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- BLOOD DRIVES News August 19, 2026 via antigojournal.com paywalled
- Digital literacy assistance with the CLICK program in Price and Taylor counties 8-19-26 News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Advocates say Tiffany’s vote for 2025 Medicaid cuts bodes ill for healthcare News August 19, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Unions ask Supreme Court to affirm judge who found Act 10 unconstitutional News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Richest billionaires in Wisconsin News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Day Lake drawdown planned for dam repairs and fisheries improvement work News August 18, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Fatal house fire in Wausau Monday night claims life of man, cat News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Eagle River area firefighters battle field fire caused after combine threw spark into dry hay News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- 8-year-old child dies after being hit by vehicle in Taylor County News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Wisconsin property now valued at more than $1 trillion News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Wisconsin continues to suffer widespread drought News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Nursing the North 8-18-26 News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Oredockers open season against rival Hodags News August 18, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Menasha officer sentenced for abusing Flock as statewide reckoning continues News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Data centers become a focus as governor’s race takes off News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Senate Dems sue to remove GOP candidate from ballot in key district News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Oracle drops Wisconsin data center power transmission cost lawsuit News August 18, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Daniel “Sketch” Cole Skochil News August 18, 2026 via rivernewsonline.com paywalled
- Groundbreaking ceremony celebrates Riverview Senior Housing Development in Rhinelander News August 18, 2026 via lakelandtimes.com paywalled
- Merrill Municipal Airport opening new maintenance hangar, hopes to increase air traffic locally News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Baby bongo and monkey join newborn giraffe at Wildwood Wildlife Park News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Bay Area fall 2026 athletic schedule News August 17, 2026 via apg-wi.com paywalled
- Clock ticking for homeowners, renters from April’s northeastern Wisconsin storms News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Police seek public help after man suffers serious injuries in Merrill hit-and-run crash News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- UW System wants $190M in state funds for 2-year tuition freeze News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- How much does assisted living cost in Wisconsin? News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Judge: Milwaukee County must contribute to Wisconsin Common School Fund News August 17, 2026 via wjfw.com
- Walker wins Six-Cylinders feature at Ashland 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
- Local turnout strong as voters set fall matchups for governor, 7th District - Northwoods Star Journal News August 17, 2026 via starjournalnow.com
- Duck Dash returns Aug. 22 - Northwoods Star Journal News August 17, 2026 via starjournalnow.com
- Walk to End Alzheimer’s Sept. 19 at Hodag Dome - Northwoods Star Journal News August 17, 2026 via starjournalnow.com
Showing the 40 most recent of 5,681. Every one is held, cited, and searchable in the archive.
What the records show
34 of 48 independently verified
Authoritative data
- Population: 8285 (2020 census), 8252 (latest official estimate) via doa.wi.gov
- Area: 8.419 sq mi land, 0.253 sq mi water, at 45.636129, -89.425517 via www2.census.gov
- Oneida County holds 441 named lakes and flowages via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
- Named lakes nearest this town: Boom Lake, Hanson Lake, Boom Lake, Lake Julia, Timber Lake, Twin Lakes, Bass Lake, Townline Lake, Langley Lake, Hess Lake, Davis Lake, Faust Lake, Vicks Lake, Landberg Lake and 5 more via prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com
Overview
- Name: City of Rhinelander via rhinelanderwi.us
- Type: city secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- County: Oneida County (county seat) via oneidacountywi.gov
- Coordinates: 45.63944 N, 89.41222 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: 8.42 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Elevation: 1549 unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Population and demographics
- 2020 census: 8285 via data.census.gov
- Acs estimate: 8316 unverified via censusreporter.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Median income: 51421 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: 29065 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: 38.2 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: large seasonal influx (not quantified) unverified via rhinelanderchamber.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 (part-time mayor + 8-member council) via rhinelanderwi.us
- Mayor: Kristopher Hanus secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Administrator: Patrick Reagan via rhinelanderwi.us
- Clerk: Austyn Zarda via rhinelanderwi.us
- Meeting schedule: 2nd & 4th Monday monthly, 6pm, City Hall via rhinelanderwi.us
- Site: rhinelanderwi.us; 135 S Stevens St via rhinelanderwi.us
- Notices: posted on rhinelanderwi.us (City Clerk agendas) via rhinelanderwi.us
Schools
- District: School District of Rhinelander via rhinelander.k12.wi.us
- Enrollment: 2300 via rhinelander.k12.wi.us
- Schools: 6 schools + outdoor classroom via rhinelander.k12.wi.us
- Site: rhinelander.k12.wi.us via rhinelander.k12.wi.us
Economy and employers
- Employer hospital: Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital via locations.aspirus.org
- Tourism: tourism a core economic pillar via rhinelanderchamber.com
- Industry: manufacturing + healthcare + government + tourism unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Employer paper: Ahlstrom (Rhinelander paper mill) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Employer printpack: Printpack unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
- Employer county: Oneida County government unverified via oneidacountywi.gov We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Institutions and anchors
- Hospital: Aspirus Rhinelander Hospital via locations.aspirus.org
- Library: Rhinelander District Library via rhinelanderlibrary.org
Business and commerce
- Chamber: Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce via rhinelanderchamber.com
- Downtown identity: Hodag (city symbol) via rhinelanderchamber.com
Media
- Paper of record: Northwoods River News via rivernewsonline.com
- Tv: WJFW-TV (Newswatch 12) unverified via en.wikipedia.org We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Recreation and natural assets
- Hodag: Hodag via rhinelanderchamber.com
- Water: Wisconsin River, Boom Lake, Pelican River secondary source via explorerhinelander.com Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Forest trails: Oneida County Forest; Bearskin State Trail nearby unverified via explorerhinelander.com We could not confirm this against a primary public record, so we are telling you rather than hiding it.
Events and seasonal rhythm
- Hodag country fest: Hodag Country Festival (July) via hodag.com
- Other: Oktoberfest; Hodag Heritage Festival secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
Infrastructure and access
- Highways: US 8; WI 17, 47 secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Airport: Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (KRHI) secondary source via en.wikipedia.org Relayed by a secondary source. The primary record is cited but was not independently re-read.
- Hub role: Rhinelander is the hub; Minocqua ~25-30 mi NW unverified via en.wikipedia.org 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 Rhinelander
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.