Ashland County, Wisconsin Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Ashland County, Wisconsin, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Ashland County, Wisconsin. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Ashland County, Wisconsin. The estimated population of Ashland County, Wisconsin is 16,002 people, with a median age of 41.7.

We can look at the total population in Ashland County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,002
+3.08%
+1.41%
2020
15,524
 -0.6% -
2019
15,617
 -0.6% -
2018
15,712
 -0.42% -
2017
15,779
 - -

Population of Ashland County, Wisconsin by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
81.9%
82.7%
 -0.97%
Black/African American
0.9%
0.4%
 +125.00%
Native
9.7%
10.6%
 -8.49%
Hispanic
3.3%
2.6%
 +26.92%
Asian
0.7%
0.4%
 +75.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.5%
3.2%
 +9.38%
Other
0.1%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Ashland County, Wisconsin by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 41.7 +0.24% 39.4 0% 43.3 +0.23%
2020 41.6 -0.95% 39.4 -2.23% 43.2 +0.23%
2019 42 +0.48% 40.3 +1% 43.1 0%
2018 41.8 +0.24% 39.9 -0.75% 43.1 0%
2017 41.7 - 40.2 - 43.1 -

The median age of Ashland County, Wisconsin gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 968 +8.92% 820 -9.5% 1,055 739
10 to 19 1,163 -0.61% 1,095 -2.54% 1,155 1,067
20 to 29 994 +0.14% 877 -7.49% 995 812
30 to 39 837 +14.71% 848 -3.15% 962 818
40 to 49 914 -9.74% 866 +7.62% 821 931
50 to 59 1,108 +1.81% 1,260 -11.49% 1,128 1,120
60 to 69 1,132 +3.63% 1,002 +21.27% 1,172 1,231
70+ 838 +12.06% 1,057 -0.06% 942 1,054

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Ashland County, Wisconsin is $55,070.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Ashland County.

  • Under 25
    $44,808.00
  • 25 to 44
    $62,719.00
  • 45 to 64
    $65,241.00
  • 65 and over
    $41,128.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Ashland County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Ashland County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Ashland County, Wisconsin is currently $65,865.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.91% of households in Ashland County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Ashland County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    24.62%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.94%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.06%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    15.23%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    12.00%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.23%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.91%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Ashland County is $28,324.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Ashland County by the total population of Ashland County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Ashland County, Wisconsin, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Ashland County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    7.90%
  • Bachelor's degree
    21.55%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.89%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    57.37%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.29%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Ashland County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Ashland County over the age of 16 is 12,994.

Of those people, a total of 62.60% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Ashland County is 59.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 1,008 55.30% 18.00%
20 to 24 years 982 75.90% 10.70%
25 to 29 years 825 90.70% 1.90%
30 to 34 years 878 83.90% 2.00%
35 to 44 years 1,802 89.70% 6.70%
45 to 54 years 1,809 81.10% 3.10%
55 to 59 years 1,291 74.00% 5.00%
60 to 64 years 1,270 58.30% 0.80%
65 to 74 years 1,933 22.10% 2.10%
75 years and over 1,196 12.20% 12.30%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Ashland County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 11,021 63.10% 4.20%
Black or African American 122 36.90% 35.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1,387 59.10% 15.50%
Asian 105 67.60% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 3 66.70% 0.00%
Other 56 41.10% 0.00%
Two or more races 300 73.30% 3.60%
Hispanic or Latino 307 70.40% 6.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 10,871 62.90% 4.10%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Ashland County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Ashland County is 7,692, with median earnings of $34,207.00.

Women in Ashland County, Wisconsin earning approximately 75.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 7,692 $34,207.00
Male 3,961 $41,030.00
Female 3,731 $31,108.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 650 $60,109.00
Business and Financial 216 $43,913.00
Computer and Mathematical 75 $53,393.00
Architecture and Engineering 88 $85,833.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 88 $63,971.00
Community and Social Service 120 $37,250.00
Legal 7 $49,375.00
Educational and Library 393 $37,750.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 74 $29,028.00
Healthcare Practitioners 412 $58,277.00
Healthcare Support 287 $25,221.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 50 $25,469.00
Law Enforcement 45 $54,250.00
Food Preparation and Serving 412 $10,469.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 374 $18,362.00
Personal Care and Service 201 $11,705.00
Sales 694 $26,525.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,083 $32,969.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 125 $12,250.00
Construction and Extraction 629 $40,208.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 382 $54,130.00
Production 660 $34,643.00
Transportation and Material Moving 296 $39,000.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 391 $68,359.00 259 $39,010.00
Business and Financial 64 $52,500.00 152 $42,826.00
Computer and Mathematical 60 $52,976.00 15 $78,125.00
Architecture and Engineering 81 $85,871.00 7 $49,375.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 41 $73,365.00 47 $63,309.00
Community and Social Service 21 $62,917.00 99 $35,875.00
Legal 0 $0.00 7 $49,375.00
Educational and Library 116 $25,625.00 277 $38,639.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 62 $29,167.00 12 $23,750.00
Healthcare Practitioners 71 $54,536.00 341 $58,574.00
Healthcare Support 35 $9,803.00 252 $25,459.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 35 $26,641.00 15 $0.00
Law Enforcement 32 $58,182.00 13 $5,625.00
Food Preparation and Serving 121 $8,693.00 291 $11,281.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 180 $31,571.00 194 $11,100.00
Personal Care and Service 87 $6,607.00 114 $18,000.00
Sales 329 $44,050.00 365 $15,375.00
Office and Administrative Support 106 $18,929.00 977 $33,158.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 112 $9,167.00 13 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 613 $41,042.00 16 $12,222.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 382 $54,130.00 0 $0.00
Production 522 $41,250.00 138 $31,111.00
Transportation and Material Moving 230 $47,974.00 66 $11,563.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 6,624 households in Ashland County, with an average household size of 2.33 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 3,885 families in Ashland County with an average family size of 2.99 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,948 277 660 2,739
Average Household Size 2.97 2.75 3.69 1.27
Total Families 2,948 277 660 0
Average Household Size 2.96 2.52 3.33 0

Poverty

Of the 3,885 families in Ashland County, 11.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Ashland County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 9,422 housing units in Ashland County, Wisconsin.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,624 70.30%
Vacant 2,798 29.70%

17.74% of the total 9,422 housing units in Ashland County are rental units. This is approximately 1,671 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,745 are occupied by the owner - or 50.36% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Ashland County is $635.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Ashland County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    208
  • Less than $500
    617
  • $500 to $999
    740
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    265
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    21
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    28
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Ashland County is $120,700.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Ashland County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    507
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,331
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,043
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    619
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    846
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    323
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    61
  • $1,000,000 or more
    15

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Ashland County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Ashland County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    2,608
  • 1940 to 1949
    592
  • 1950 to 1959
    738
  • 1960 to 1969
    584
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,524
  • 1980 to 1989
    989
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,103
  • 2000 to 2009
    953
  • 2010 to 2013
    327
  • 2014 or later
    4

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Ashland County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    415
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,227
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,490
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,492

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Ashland County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Ashland County that commute to work in a particular way.

17.6 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Ashland County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    624
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,867
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,444
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,031
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    699
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    264
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    429
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    74
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    87
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    258
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    242
  • 90 or more minutes
    146

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Ashland County, Wisconsin in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Ashland County, Wisconsin

We have data for 22 places in Ashland County, Wisconsin. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.