Editing Phelps, Wisconsin

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Phelps, Wisconsin
| settlement_type                 = [[Town]]

<!-- Images -->| image_skyline                   = 
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                       = WIMap-doton-Phelps.png
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Phelps, Wisconsin
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = {{flag|Wisconsin}}
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Wisconsin|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = 
| leader_name1                    = 
| established_title               = 
| established_date                = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = 
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 281.8
| area_land_km2                   = 245.7
| area_water_km2                  = 36.2
| area_total_sq_mi                = 108.8
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 94.9
| area_water_sq_mi                = 14.0

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of                = [[Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 2020|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 1,238
| population_density_km2          = 5
| population_density_sq_mi        = 13
<!-- General information -->| timezone                        = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| elevation_m                     = 529
| elevation_ft                    = 1736
| coordinates                     = {{coord|46|3|36|N|89|5|27|W|region:US-WI|display=inline, title}}
| postal_code_type                = 
| postal_code                     = 
| area_code                       = [[Area codes 715 and 534|715 & 534]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 55-62425<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 1583917<ref name="GR3" />
| website                         = http://townofphelps.com/
| footnotes                       = 
| name                            = 
}}

'''Phelps''' is a town in [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas County]], [[Wisconsin]], United States. The population was 1,238 in 2020. The unincorporated community of [[Phelps (community), Wisconsin|Phelps]] is located in the town.

==Demographics==
As of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey in December 2019, there were 1,010 people, a drop of 15.8% since 2010, with an average of 2.4 people per household. The [[population density]] was 11 people per square mile (4.3/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 92.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1% [[African Americans|African American]], and 3.5% from other or two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.2% of the population.

Phelps is made up mostly of families, and it has an abnormally high widowed population. Most households (61%) in the town are families. 82% of head of households in families were married couples, 15% were single females, and 3% were single females. 61% of residents were married, 15% had never married, 13% were divorced, and 11% were widowed.

Phelp has a relatively old population. The age breakdown of the town is 14.4% under the age of 20, 5.3% from 20 to 29, 5.3% from 30 to 39, 6.6% from 40 to 49, 18.4% from 50 to 59, 23.9% from 60 to 69, and 26% over the age of 70. The median age was 60 years. 52% of the population is male and 48% of the population is female.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Phelps Wisconsin Demographics data|url=https://www.towncharts.com/Wisconsin/Demographics/Phelps-town-WI-Demographics-data.html|access-date=September 9, 2020|website=www.towncharts.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122094950/https://www.towncharts.com/Wisconsin/Demographics/Phelps-town-WI-Demographics-data.html |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |language=en-US|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

The median income for a household in Phelps was $40,060. Males had a median income of $48,393 versus $36,806 for females. The average hours worked per week was 34.6. 52% of income was from wages, 5% was earned from self-employment, 27% from investments and retirement income, and 16% from social security. This distribution of income sources is similar to that of the county, but compared to the nation as a whole, wages are a significantly smaller percent of Phelps income. Cost of living in the town is mostly similar to the American average. 151 people in Phelps live below the poverty line.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Phelps Wisconsin Economy data|url=https://www.towncharts.com/Wisconsin/Economy/Phelps-town-WI-Economy-data.html|access-date=September 9, 2020|website=www.towncharts.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721220441/https://www.towncharts.com/Wisconsin/Economy/Phelps-town-WI-Economy-data.html |archive-date=July 21, 2023 |url-status=usurped|language=en-US}}</ref>

92% of the population held high school degrees, and 22% held a bachelor's degree or higher. The Phelps School district contains a high school and an elementary school, and 18 other schools are in the Phelps area, including [[Northwoods Community Secondary School]], a charter school.

==Geography==
The Town of Phelps is located in the northeast corner of [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas County]] along the border with [[Michigan]]. The headwaters of the [[Wisconsin River]] are in the northwest corner of the town at [[Lac Vieux Desert]]. Much of the town is a part of the [[Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 108.8&nbsp;square miles (281.8&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which, 94.9&nbsp;square miles (245.7&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of it is land and 14.0&nbsp;square miles (36.2&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of it (12.83%) is water.

==Climate==
The climate is described as [[Humid continental climate|Humid Continental]] by the [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen Climate System]], abbreviated as ''Dfb''.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=815674&cityname=Phelps%2C+Wisconsin%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Phelps, Wisconsin]</ref>
{{Weather box
|location = Phelps, Wisconsin
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|Jan high F = 20
|Feb high F = 23
|Mar high F = 37
|Apr high F = 52
|May high F = 64
|Jun high F = 73
|Jul high F = 78
|Aug high F = 74
|Sep high F = 67
|Oct high F = 54
|Nov high F = 38
|Dec high F = 26
|year high F = 51
|Jan low F = -2
|Feb low F = -2
|Mar low F = 7
|Apr low F = 26
|May low F = 35
|Jun low F = 46
|Jul low F = 51
|Aug low F = 47
|Sep low F = 41
|Oct low F = 33
|Nov low F = 21
|Dec low F = 8
|year low F = 26
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.2
|Feb precipitation inch = 1
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.5
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.3
|May precipitation inch = 3.2
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.1
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.7
|Aug precipitation inch = 4
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.9
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.6
|Nov precipitation inch = 2
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.4
|year precipitation inch = 30.8
|source 1 = Weatherbase <ref name=Weatherbase>
{{cite web
|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=815674&cityname=Phelps-Wisconsin
|publisher=Weatherbase
|title=Weatherbase.com
|year=2013
}}
Retrieved on August 25, 2013.
</ref>
|date=August 2013
}}

==Culture==
Several hunting and fishing clubs are located in Phelps, including the historic Big Sand Lake Club. Resorts and recreation centered around the town's many lakes are very popular, as are activities such as hiking and camping in the [[Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest]]. Other events include a large softball tournament held every summer in Wavering Park, and a fireworks display over the lake for Independence Day, in which many people partake from boats.

== History ==
The area that is today Phelps was originally inhabited by the [[Ojibwe|Chippewa Indian]] people. In the early 18th century, French trappers and fur traders settled in the area. Lac Vieux Desert served as a crossroads for this trade. Due to the abundance of healthy forest in the  area, the logging business first arrived to exploit this resource in 1896. A large Finnish population moved to the town, significantly increasing its population, between 1906 and 1912. The town was originally named Hackley, but was renamed to Phelps in 1912 after William Phelps, a partner in the Hackley, Phelps & Bonnell Company.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gard|first1=Robert E.|title=The Romance of Wisconsin Place Names|last2=Sorden|first2=L. G.|publisher=October House|location=New York, NY|page=100}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About Phelps {{!}} Northwoods of Wisconsin Vacation Destination|url=http://www.phelpswi.us/about-phelps/|access-date=September 9, 2020|website=Phelps Chamber of Commerce|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Transportation==
Phelps is served by [[Wisconsin Highway 17]] (WIS&nbsp;17), three [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas County]] trunk highways, and a large network of town and [[Forest Highway]]s. WIS&nbsp;17 runs southwest–northeast across the town, through the unincorporated community of [[Phelps (community), Wisconsin|Phelps]] and to the [[Michigan]] border and a connection to [[Forest Highway 16]] near Smokey Lake. This also provides a connection to [[Iron River, Michigan]], via [[Iron County, Michigan|Iron County]] Road&nbsp;436. To the southwest, WIS&nbsp;17 connects to [[U.S. Route 45 in Wisconsin|US Highway&nbsp;45]]/[[Wisconsin Highway 32|WIS&nbsp;32]] and the rest of the Wisconsin State Highway System approximately {{convert|4|mi|km}} north of [[Eagle River, Wisconsin|Eagle River]]. County Trunk Highway E (CTH-E) begins in the [[Central business district]] of the unincorporated community of Phelps and runs northwest to serve the area around [[Lac Vieux Desert]] before ending at US&nbsp;45/WIS&nbsp;32 approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} south of [[Land O' Lakes (community), Wisconsin|Land o' Lakes]]. CTH-K follows the north shore of [[North Twin Lake (Phelps, Wisconsin)|North Twin Lake]] and provides a connection to [[Conover (community), Wisconsin|Conover]] and points west, while CTH-A begins at WIS&nbsp;17 approximately {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} east of the unincorporated community of Phelps and leads south and east to its terminus at [[Wisconsin Highway 55|WIS&nbsp;55]] in the community of [[Nelma, Wisconsin|Nelma]] in [[Forest County, Wisconsin|Forest County]].

== Healthcare ==
There are 22.4 [[primary care physician]]s per 100,000 population in Phelps compared to the statewide average of 75.6.<ref name="Reports">{{Cite web |title=Reports |url=https://www.wcmew.org/reports |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=WCMEW |language=en-US}}</ref> The area is located in both a [[mental health]] and primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find Shortage Areas by Address |url=https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/by-address |access-date=May 16, 2022 |website=data.hrsa.gov}}</ref> qualifying the area as a [[Medical deserts in the United States|medical desert]]. By the year 2035, Phelps is expected to have a 69.1% deficit in physicians, the fourth largest predicted deficit in Wisconsin.<ref name="Reports"/> There are no behavioral health physicians in Phelps.<ref name="Reports"/>

==See also==
* [[List of towns in Wisconsin]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Phelps, Wisconsin}}
* [http://www.phelpswi.us/ Phelps Chamber of Commerce]

{{Vilas County, Wisconsin}}
{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Phelps, Wisconsin
|North     = [[Watersmeet Township, Michigan|Watersmeet Township]]
|Northeast = [[Stambaugh Township, Michigan|Stambaugh Township]]
|East      = [[Alvin, Wisconsin|Town of Alvin]]
|Southeast = [[Hiles, Forest County, Wisconsin|Town of Hiles]]
|South     = 
|Southwest = [[Washington, Vilas County, Wisconsin|Town of Washington]]
|West      = [[Conover, Wisconsin|Town of Conover]]
|Northwest = [[Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin|Town of Land o' Lakes]]
}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Vilas County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Towns in Wisconsin]]