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COUNTY

Portage County

Wisconsin · 71,943 residents (2025 est.) · 801 sq mi
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The short version

With 70,832 people, Portage County is a county in Wisconsin. Few US counties rank higher on income. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $243,100, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $940 a month at the median. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
70,832
+5%since 2000
from 67,182 in 2000
71,943 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
88 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 85 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.0
+15%since 2000
from 33.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
801 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
60K63K66K69K72K19902000201020202024Portage County
202471K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(3,138)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.4%(3,821)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.4%(3,825)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.9%(5,589)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2411.2%(7,915)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(8,506)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.5%(8,125)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(7,651)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.1%(9,272)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.2%(7,932)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.5%(3,893)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(1,165)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$76,070
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,487 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$40,191
+102%since 2000
from $19,854 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.8%
+22.1 ptssince 2009
from 28.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.405
−3%since 2010
from 0.418 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services10.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration9.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$243,100
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $98,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$940
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $477 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 70.9% in 2000
30.3% rent
Vacancy rate
6.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.29 people
−5%since 2009
from 2.41 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
14.5%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.1%
−7.7 ptssince 2009
from 44.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+16%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
51
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.9%(63,752)
Black0.3%(203)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(967)
Asian2.2%(1,509)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89%(63,074)
Black0.8%(537)
Hispanic / Latino4.2%(2,956)
Asian2.9%(2,038)
Other3.1%(2,227)
Diversity Score
25
+67%since 2009
from 15 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
18
−21%since 2020
from 23 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.9%(2,058)
Puerto Rican0.2%(121)
Cuban0.2%(117)
Costa Rican0.1%(73)
Colombian0.1%(71)
Nicaraguan0.1%(56)
Chilean0%(31)
Honduran0%(30)
Spaniard0%(19)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong1.9%(1,311)
Vietnamese0.2%(116)
Asian Indian0.2%(115)
Chinese0.1%(106)
Korean0.1%(78)
Filipino0.1%(73)
Thai0%(34)
Japanese0%(30)
Ancestry
German37.5%(26,594)
Polish27.8%(19,708)
Irish10.9%(7,690)
English7%(4,956)
Norwegian6.3%(4,474)
American5%(3,545)
Italian2.6%(1,865)
French2.2%(1,528)
Swedish1.9%(1,369)
Dutch1.6%(1,150)
Czech1%(676)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.7%(472)
Scottish0.6%(426)
Finnish0.6%(398)
Russian0.4%(255)
Belgian0.4%(250)
Swiss0.3%(225)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(217)
Welsh0.3%(213)
Lithuanian0.3%(186)
Greek0.2%(168)
Austrian0.2%(160)
British0.2%(124)
Serbian0.1%(105)
Hungarian0.1%(102)
Arab0.1%(100)
Slovak0.1%(92)
Croatian0.1%(76)
Lebanese0.1%(64)
Nigerian0.1%(58)
Portuguese0.1%(47)
Ukrainian0.1%(44)
Brazilian0.1%(39)
Iranian0%(35)
Slovene0%(34)
Iraqi0%(31)
Romanian0%(30)
Bulgarian0%(28)
Armenian0%(17)
Jamaican0%(13)
Canadian0%(11)
Latvian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
34.0%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 23.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.5%
+8.0 ptssince 2000
from 86.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.5 min
+62%since 2000
from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
74.1%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 77.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.6%
+9.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.2%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.3%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 68.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.9%
+8.5 ptssince 2009
from 29.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
49.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
3.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.6%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 10.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.8%
−3.3 ptssince 2013
from 8.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.5%
+11.3 ptssince 2017
from 81.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
95.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2020
from 91.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.8%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 83.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
95.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2016
from 93.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40.5%(12,322)
Married50.1%(15,243)
Widowed2%(596)
Divorced7.4%(2,263)
Women 15+
Never married33.9%(10,053)
Married49.1%(14,560)
Widowed7.3%(2,150)
Divorced9.7%(2,861)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.8%
−3.3 ptssince 2013
from 8.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
61.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 64.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
18.1%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 13.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
77.0%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 79.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.2%
+3.5 ptssince 2020
from 30.7% 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)19.5%(739)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.3%(466)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.4%(1,496)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(198)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.8%(29)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,794 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Portage County to nearby counties

PORTAGE COUNTY VS
Waupaca County
Income$72,830−4%
Home value$211,400−13%
Population51,461−28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTAGE COUNTY VS
Wood County
Income$67,989−11%
Home value$175,600−28%
Population74,060+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTAGE COUNTY VS
Waushara County
Income$67,107−12%
Home value$203,100−16%
Population25,223−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PORTAGE COUNTY VS
Marathon County
Income$77,884+2%
Home value$219,600−10%
Population139,432+94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Portage County, Wisconsin?

Portage County, Wisconsin has about 70,832 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Portage County, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Portage County, Wisconsin earns about $76,070 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Portage County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Portage County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $243,100, and the typical rent is about $940 a month.

How educated are people in Portage County, Wisconsin?

About 34.0% of adults age 25 and over in Portage County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Portage County, Wisconsin?

About 10.1% of people in Portage County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Portage County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Portage County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,427 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →