Rusk County, WI elected officials: county supervisors, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Rusk County: 6 seats on 6 elected bodies. 2 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County officers

OfficeWho holds it nowNext term
County ClerkConnie Meyer Republican source
Clerk of Circuit CourtLori Gorsegner Republican sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
District AttorneyJohn Cabranes Republican source
Register of DeedsMary Berg Republican source
SheriffPhil Grassmann sourceOn the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County TreasurerMissy Kroening Republican source

How many local governments Rusk County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 42 local governments in Rusk County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of governmentCensus count (2022)Listed on this page
County government10
Cities, towns, villages and townships (9 municipal, 24 township)330
School districts (school boards)30
Special districts (elected boards)50

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Rusk County

14,179people
49.2median ageU.S.: 38.9
$59,944 household incomeU.S.: $80,734
13.1%below the U.S.: 12.5%
16.9%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%
$163,400median home valueU.S.: $332,700
5.4%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%
1.1%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%
9%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%
5.7%U.S.: 8.4%
42.8%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%
24.3%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 2.1% · White 93.1% · Black 1.2% · Asian 0.4% · Other or more than one race 3.3% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Rusk County

3.5%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.3%. Wisconsin: 2.9%.
201people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.
5,625people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.
5,826in the September 2026, preliminary.
Unemployment rate, yearly average, Rusk County 0.0%1.8%3.6%5.4%7.2% 20162018202020222024

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years
MonthRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
September 2026 (preliminary)3.5%2015,6255,826
August 20264.2%2475,5845,831
July 20264.1%2425,7275,969
June 20264.2%2575,8016,058
May 20263.7%2145,5945,808
April 20264.8%2855,6455,930
March 20266.8%4015,5295,930
February 20266.5%3865,5715,957
January 20265.8%3465,5745,920
December 20254.4%2575,6145,871
November 20253.8%2175,5625,779
October 2025not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 20253.3%1925,5505,742
August 20253.9%2265,5215,747
July 20254.2%2495,6895,938
June 20254.3%2545,7075,961
May 20254.1%2375,5155,752
April 20254.9%2905,6555,945
March 20256.2%3745,6346,008
February 20256.5%3905,6236,013
January 20255.9%3525,6606,012
December 20244.5%2655,5685,833
November 20243.8%2215,5845,805
October 20243.4%1975,5755,772
Yearly averages
YearRateUnemployedEmployedLabor force
2025 (11 months)4.7%2765,6125,888
20244.1%2485,8686,116
20233.5%2206,0226,242
20223.6%2336,1576,390
20214.5%2876,1416,428
20206.9%4506,0666,516
20194.8%3166,3156,631
20184.0%2776,5936,870
20174.5%3096,5696,878
20165.1%3506,5676,917

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Wisconsin's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.2% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Rusk County

275.5 per 100,0002025. Wisconsin: 240.3.
282.6 per 100,0002025. Wisconsin: 1,016.7.
0murders2025, 39 violent crimes in all.
Earlier years
YearViolentRatePropertyRate
202539275.540282.6
202432224.759414.4
202332224.844309.0
202248341.449348.5
202037262.357404.1
201916113.869490.8
201822156.360426.2
201725178.182584.3
201633236.0133951.0
By police agency (2)
AgencyYearViolentPropertyPeople served
Rusk County Sheriff's Office2025362510,985
Ladysmith Police Department20253153,169

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Wisconsin · the U.S.

Police staffing

1.70 per 1,000 residents2025, 2 agencies serving 14,154 people.
24sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.
4civilian staff2025, full-time.
Agencies counted (2), 2025
AgencyOfficersCiviliansPeople served
Rusk County Sheriff's Office17310,985
Ladysmith Police Department713,169
Earlier years
YearOfficersPer 1,000CiviliansAgencies
2025241.7042
2024241.69162
2023251.7642
2022392.7742
2021392.7732
2020352.4832
2019352.4942
2018231.63152
2017352.4942
2016352.5042

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Rusk County County Clerk?
Connie Meyer (Republican) is the County Clerk of Rusk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Rusk County Clerk of Circuit Court?
Lori Gorsegner (Republican) is the Clerk of Circuit Court of Rusk County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Rusk County District Attorney?
John Cabranes (Republican) is the District Attorney of Rusk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Rusk County Register of Deeds?
Mary Berg (Republican) is the Register of Deeds of Rusk County, Wisconsin.
Who is the Rusk County Sheriff?
Phil Grassmann is the Sheriff of Rusk County, Wisconsin. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Rusk County County Treasurer?
Missy Kroening (Republican) is the County Treasurer of Rusk County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Rusk County?
About 14,179 people, with a median age of 49.2; the median household income is $59,944 and 13.1% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Rusk County?
3.5% in September 2026 (preliminary): 201 people unemployed in a labor force of 5,826, against 3.3% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Rusk County?
42 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 9 municipal, 24 township, 3 school district and 5 special district governments.

Officeholders as of August 4, 2025, from the Wisconsin Blue Book 2025–2026 (Legislative Reference Bureau), as county clerks reported their officers in April 2025; officials elected or appointed since then may differ, and only each county board's chair is listed; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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