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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Sawyer County

Wisconsin · 18,074 residents · 1,258 sq mi
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The short version

With 18,074 people, Sawyer County is a county in Wisconsin. At a median age of 52.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. Median rent is $600 a month. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 52.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

18,074
+12%since 2000
from 16,196 in 2000
1990 – 2025
52.7
+25%since 2000
from 42.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,258 sq mi
Population, 19902024
14K15K16K18K19K19902000201020202024Sawyer County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.2%(759)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(933)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.9%(1,068)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.2%(935)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.6%(652)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 348.6%(1,553)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 449%(1,631)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.1%(2,008)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6418.6%(3,354)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7417.5%(3,158)
US avg: 10%
75 to 848.5%(1,542)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.7%(481)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$52,022
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,287 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$32,851
+86%since 2000
from $17,634 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.3%
+14.3 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
14.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade13.2%
US avg: 10%
Information12.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.7%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction3.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$174,000
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$600
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $386 in 2000
US average: $1,124
76.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2000
from 77.1% in 2000
23.2% rent
2.05 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.09 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.3
−25%since 2009
from 4.5 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.4%(13,182)
Black0.3%(50)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(145)
Asian0.3%(41)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.4%(13,817)
Black0.5%(96)
Hispanic / Latino2%(358)
Asian0.3%(63)
Other19.5%(3,526)
55
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%(332)
Puerto Rican0.4%(73)
Dominican0.1%(10)
Argentine0.1%(9)
Cuban0%(1)
Asian origin
Bangladeshi0.1%(21)
Korean0.1%(18)
Asian Indian0.1%(15)
Hmong0.1%(14)
Vietnamese0.1%(9)
Chinese0%(4)
Thai0%(2)
Ancestry
German28.6%(4,720)
Irish10%(1,649)
Norwegian10%(1,646)
English7.3%(1,203)
Polish5.7%(934)
Swedish5.3%(878)
French3.4%(565)
Czech2.5%(411)
American2.4%(392)
Italian2%(337)
Scottish1.8%(293)
Finnish1.3%(214)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Danish1%(169)
Dutch1%(161)
Swiss0.8%(136)
Lithuanian0.6%(99)
Hungarian0.6%(95)
Russian0.6%(93)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(68)
British0.4%(65)
Welsh0.3%(45)
Greek0.2%(39)
Croatian0.2%(27)
Ukrainian0.2%(27)
Slovene0.2%(26)
Canadian0.1%(21)
Austrian0.1%(20)
Slovak0.1%(20)
Belgian0.1%(15)
West Indian0.1%(13)
Portuguese0.1%(9)
Latvian0%(2)
Serbian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

24.9%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 16.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.1%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 84.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
8.8%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.6 min
+59%since 2000
from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
76.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 75.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
4.5%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.0%
−4.1 ptssince 2011
from 9.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
57.1%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 59.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.6%
US average: 73.3%
29.3%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

51.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
48.7%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
1.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
7.6%
−4.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
85.4%
US average: 91.9%
85.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.7%(2,528)
Married54%(4,447)
Widowed4%(326)
Divorced11.3%(933)
Women 15+
Never married22.9%(1,755)
Married53.8%(4,129)
Widowed12%(923)
Divorced11.3%(864)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

7.6%
−4.6 ptssince 2013
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
45.2%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
20.6%
US average: 13.7%
27.8%
US average: 17.6%
20.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
64.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
45.9%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.1%(181)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)12.4%(160)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era42.1%(542)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War8.2%(105)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.2%(41)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,287 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Sawyer County, Wisconsin?

Sawyer County, Wisconsin has about 18,074 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Sawyer County, Wisconsin earns about $52,022 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Sawyer County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Sawyer County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $174,000, and the typical rent is about $600 a month.

How educated are people in Sawyer County, Wisconsin?

About 24.9% of adults age 25 and over in Sawyer County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Sawyer County, Wisconsin?

About 14.9% of people in Sawyer County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Sawyer County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Sawyer County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,893 residents, a change of about 27 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 →