Bowler is a town in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Bowler is situated in central Wisconsin, approximately 9 mi (15 km) east of the city of Wausau. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of about 35.0 sq mi (90.7 km²), of which roughly 34.8 sq mi (90.2 km²) is land and 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²) (0.56%) is water.
Demographics
The 2020 United States Census recorded a population of 833 residents in Bowler. The population density was about 23.9 inhabitants per square mile (9.2 /km²). The town's demographic composition, household characteristics, and economic indicators are reported in detail by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
History
Bowler was organized as a civil town in the early 20th century. The precise origin of the town’s name is not definitively documented in widely available sources; it is plausibly derived from a local early settler or landowner bearing the surname Bowler.
Government
Bowler is governed by an elected town board, consisting of a chairperson and supervisors, in accordance with Wisconsin’s statutory framework for towns. The town provides basic services such as road maintenance, land use planning, and fire protection through local districts or intergovernmental agreements.
Education
The town lies within the jurisdiction of the Wausau School District, which operates public schools serving the area’s K‑12 population.
Transportation
State Highway 52 runs near the southern boundary of Bowler, providing vehicular access to the larger regional highway network. Local roads connect residential areas and agricultural lands within the town.
Economy
The local economy is primarily based on agriculture, forestry, and small‑scale manufacturing, reflecting the broader economic profile of rural Marathon County.
References
- United States Census Bureau, 2020 Census of Population and Housing.
- Marathon County Land Use and Planning Department.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation, highway maps.
This entry reflects information available from publicly released governmental and statistical sources as of 2026.