Last updated: August 2026
The northwoods is supposed to be bar country. Everyone says it. Drive Highway 13 through Phillips and you’ll pass a tavern every couple miles, and tourists swear this is the most bar-dense corner of Wisconsin. We checked the Census data. They’re wrong.
Price County has exactly 5 drinking places, per the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 County Business Patterns, serving a population of 14,066. That works out to 3.55 bars per 10,000 residents. The statewide average is 4.61. Wisconsin as a whole runs about 46 bars per 100,000 people; Price County sits at 35.55. We’re roughly 23% below the state average, not above it.
Quick Answer: Price County has 5 bars (NAICS 722410) per Census CBP 2022, or 3.55 bars per 10,000 residents — below the Wisconsin average of 4.61 and about 23% under the statewide density of 46 bars per 100,000. That’s 2,813 people per bar in the county versus 2,170 statewide. The northwoods bar-capital reputation doesn’t hold up in Price County’s own records.
By the Ripsaw Saloon team, 1117 Railroad Ave, Prentice, WI 54556. Last updated August 3, 2026.
Why Everyone Assumes the Northwoods Is Bar Central
The assumption isn’t crazy. The bars we do have are the social spine of every town in the county. Prentice, Phillips, Fifield, Park Falls, Kennan, Ogema — the tavern is where the meat raffle happens, where the Packers game gets watched, where the snowmobile trail spits you out at 4 PM. It feels dense because these bars matter more, not because there are more of them.
We pour drinks at Ripsaw in Prentice. We see the reality daily: five licensed drinking places can’t cover 1,200 square miles of trail and forest. When a bar closes — and we’ve watched it happen — there’s no backup five minutes away like there is in Milwaukee or Madison.
The Census Numbers, Side by Side
Here’s the full comparison, straight from the U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (2022) and the 2022 ACS five-year population estimates. No industry surveys, no guesstimates — government records.
| Metric | Wisconsin | Price County |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking places (NAICS 722410) | 2,716 | 5 |
| Population | 5,892,539 | 14,066 |
| Bars per 10,000 residents | 4.61 | 3.55 |
| Bars per 100,000 residents | 46.09 | 35.55 |
| People per bar | 2,170 | 2,813 |
| Share of state population | 100% | 0.24% |
| Share of state bars | 100% | 0.18% |
Read that last row again. Price County holds 0.24% of Wisconsin’s people but only 0.18% of its bars. We’re underrepresented relative to our own population, and that’s before you factor in the tourists who flood the Tuscobia and Flambeau trails every summer and winter.
What the “Bar Capital” Myth Gets Wrong
The national story says Wisconsin is the most bar-dense state in the country, roughly 47 bars per 100,000 residents. That’s true statewide, and we don’t dispute it. But the northwoods is not what’s carrying that average. The density is concentrated in the southeast — Milwaukee County, Dane County, the Fox Valley — places with the population to support taverns on every corner.
Rural counties like ours are actually among the least bar-dense in the state. The myth survives because a rural bar is a landmark, not because rural bars are numerous. One beloved tavern on a county highway reads as “bar country” to a tourist who just drove 40 minutes without passing another one.
The Trail Factor Nobody Counts
Here’s the wrinkle the Census never captures. Those five bars serve more than 14,066 residents. On a summer weekend, Phillips, Prentice, and Park Falls swell with ATV and snowmobile riders. The Ripsaw parking lot fills with machines on the Tuscobia spur, and we pour for people who drove in from Wausau, Rhinelander, and Medford. The official density understates the actual demand.
In practice, that means 5 bars can feel like 20 at 3 PM on a July Saturday — and like 2 at 9 AM on a Tuesday in March. The ratio is worse than the number suggests because the crowd is seasonal and concentrated.
Pros and Cons of Low Bar Density
There’s a real argument that being under-barred is a feature, not a bug. We’ll give you both sides.
Why It Helps the Bars That Survive
Five bars splitting a county’s thirst means each one has a loyal, stable base. Nobody opens a second tavern across the street, because the math doesn’t support it. Regulars become family. We know our customers by name at Ripsaw, and that’s not nostalgia — it’s arithmetic. Fewer competitors means steadier traffic.
It also keeps prices reasonable. With no density war, there’s no race to the bottom on drink specials. A well-run northwoods bar can hold a margin that a Milwaukee dive can’t.
Why It Hurts the Region
The flip side is fragility. One closure hits the whole county, not just one town. When a bar shuts down in the northwoods, it rarely reopens — the building sits empty, the license lapses, and suddenly a community loses its only gathering space. We’ve seen this happen in Park Falls and Ogema.
It also leaves long stretches of Highway 13 and 102 with zero options. Miss the turn in Phillips and you might drive 25 miles before another cold beer is available. That’s not convenience, that’s a gap.
Verdict: The Data Says Under-Barred, the Trails Say Otherwise
So which is it — bar country or bar desert? The honest answer is both, depending on the week. By the Census, Price County is 23% below the Wisconsin average for bars per capita. By the parking lot on a holiday weekend, it’s a different story entirely.
Here’s our verdict, from behind the bar: the density number is real, but it misses what makes the northwoods work. The county isn’t over-barred or under-barred. It’s exactly barred for the people who actually show up — and the seasonal crowd means the five bars that do exist punch well above their population weight.
What This Means for Visitors
If you’re planning a northwoods trip, don’t count on a bar every few miles the way you would in Milwaukee. Plan your stops. Know which towns have taverns open on a Tuesday (hint: Ripsaw is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, 2 PM to close the rest of the week). Call ahead in the off-season. The bars are here, but they’re spaced out.
And if you want to see the full landscape, our Price County Bar Crawl Checklist maps every stop, mile, and drink so you don’t end up 20 miles from the nearest open tap.
How We Counted These Bars
We pulled the number straight from the Census County Business Patterns API for NAICS 722410 (drinking places), which counts licensed establishments with paid employees. Price County returned 5 establishments, 16 employees, and roughly $107,000 in annual payroll. Population came from the 2022 American Community Survey five-year estimate.
One honest caveat: CBP counts establishments with payroll, so a tiny owner-operated tavern with no reported employees can fall out of the count. The real number on the ground could be a bar or two higher. But even if you add two more, Price County still lands below the state average — the myth doesn’t survive the correction. For a deeper look at how the state tabulates bars, see our guide to Wisconsin bar statistics and the statewide industry data page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bars are in Price County, Wisconsin?
Per the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 County Business Patterns, Price County has 5 drinking places (NAICS 722410). That’s about 3.55 bars per 10,000 residents, below the Wisconsin average of 4.61.
Is the Wisconsin northwoods really “bar country”?
Not by density. Price County sits roughly 23% below the statewide average of bars per 100,000 residents. The reputation comes from how prominent rural bars are, not how many there are.
How many people per bar does Price County have?
About 2,813 people per bar, versus roughly 2,170 statewide. The real number is lower in practice because seasonal ATV and snowmobile tourists swell the customer base far beyond the resident population.
What’s the best way to bar-hop in Price County?
Plan ahead — the five bars are spread across Phillips, Prentice, Fifield, and Park Falls. Our bar crawl checklist lays out the stops, driving times, and open hours so you’re never stranded. Ripsaw Saloon is at 1117 Railroad Ave in Prentice, open Mon and Thu–Sun from 2 PM to close.
See also: ATV trails that lead right to Ripsaw Saloon Trail conditions, maps, and staging areas are in the Price County ATV trail guide.