United States › Wisconsin › Ashland County COUNTY
Ashland County Wisconsin · 16,203 residents (2025 est.) · 1,045 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 16,080 people, Ashland County is a county in Wisconsin. There are 15 people per square mile. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $170,300. The foreign-born share is 2%. At a median age of 43.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 16,866 in 2000
16,203 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 16 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 16K 16K 17K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ashland County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $62,462
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,628 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,069 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.416 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
Education & health services 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
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$170,300
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$721
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $372 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.7% in 2000
26.6% rent
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.27 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 86.7%(14,622)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(188)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 81.3%(13,065)
from 34 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 34 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 71.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.6%(2,489)
Women 15+
Never married 29.7%(1,988)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10.5%(108)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.3%(188)
Share of the 1,025 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Ashland County Head to head
Compare Ashland County to nearby counties ASHLAND COUNTY VS
Bayfield County
Income $71,151 +14%
Home value $240,800 +41%
Population 16,787 +4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLAND COUNTY VS
Iron County
Income $60,625 −3%
Home value $165,900 −3%
Population 6,127 −62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLAND COUNTY VS
Gogebic County
Income $52,732 −16%
Home value $107,200 −37%
Population 14,285 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLAND COUNTY VS
Sawyer County
Income $60,801 −3%
Home value $236,200 +39%
Population 18,846 +16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ashland County, Wisconsin? Ashland County, Wisconsin has about 16,080 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ashland County, Wisconsin? The typical household in Ashland County, Wisconsin earns about $62,462 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ashland County, Wisconsin expensive? In Ashland County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $170,300, and the typical rent is about $721 a month.
How educated are people in Ashland County, Wisconsin? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Ashland County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ashland County, Wisconsin? About 13.4% of people in Ashland County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ashland County, Wisconsin grown since 1990? Yes, Ashland County, Wisconsin has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 227 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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