Hayward is a city in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Its population was 2,533 at the 2020 census. The city was formally organized in 1883. It is near the Namekagon River and is surrounded by the Town of Hayward.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Hayward ranks

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#1Shortest commute in WI #7Lowest property tax in WI #31Lowest obesity in WI All WI rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code54843

Area codeSign in to add

Living in Hayward

Safety in Hayward

Safety Grade D

Hayward reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Hayward 3.8

Wisconsin 2.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Hayward 15

Wisconsin 10.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Hayward

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Hayward’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Hayward (21%), Bass Lake (3%) and Superior (3%). Half commute less than 6 miles.

Hayward

21%

Bass Lake

Superior

Minong

33%Work in townlive and work in Hayward 6 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 2,836Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Hayward →

Health in Hayward

C⁺

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 36% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 82% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Wisconsin

11worse than WI

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 21 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care all close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 1▼ 3 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

15.5%More older adults who have lost all their teethWI 9.9% · worse 4.4%More adults who have had a strokeWI 3.4% · worse 8.4%More adults with COPDWI 6.5% · worse

Care nearby

Tamarack Health Hayward Medical CenterHayward · 12.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

Northlakes - River's EdgeHayward · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Hayward · CMS · HRSAHealth in Hayward →

Natural hazards in Hayward

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 28% of U.S. communities.

🥶 Cold waves🌊 Inland flooding

2Does Hayward flood?paid flood claims since 2016 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 7 declared for Sawyer County MapHayward vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Hayward →

Climate in Hayward

Full climate →

Hayward has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

24° / 5°Winter

53° / 29°Spring

77° / 53°Summer

54° / 34°Fall

How much snow does Hayward get?About 59 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Sep 22, with the last in spring around May 23.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.7° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Hayward →

Schools in Hayward

All Hayward schools →

School Grade C

The public schools Hayward’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 67% of Wisconsin’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

See how Hayward’s schools compare in WI →

DistrictHayward Community School DistrictSchools7

Hayward PrimaryElementary · Grades PK–2 · 403 students Hayward Intermediate B+Elementary · Grades 3–5 · 327 students Hayward Middle B-Middle · Grades 6–8 · 340 students Hayward High BHigh · Grades 9–12 · 522 students Northern Waters Environmental School C+High · Grades 6–12 · 43 students Hayward Ctr for Individualized LearningOther · Grades PK–12 · 250 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WI. Ratings are from neighbors.