Ashland, Ashland County, Bayfield County, Wisconsin Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Ashland, 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, Wisconsin. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Ashland, Wisconsin. The estimated population of Ashland, Wisconsin is 7,890 people, with a median age of 38.4.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
7,890
+0.62%
-1.34%
2020
7,841
-0.65% -
2019
7,892
-0.89% -
2018
7,963
-0.43% -
2017
7,997
- -

Population of Ashland, 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
82.9%
86.3%
-3.94%
Black/African American
1.5%
0.6%
+150.00%
Native
6.2%
7.3%
-15.07%
Hispanic
3.6%
1.5%
+140.00%
Asian
1.2%
0.4%
+200.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.5%
3.7%
+21.62%
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, 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 38.4 -1.03% 35.2 -0.28% 41.7 0%
2020 38.8 -3.72% 35.3 -8.07% 41.7 0%
2019 40.3 +2.28% 38.4 -0.26% 41.7 +1.96%
2018 39.4 +1.55% 38.5 +1.05% 40.9 +3.02%
2017 38.8 - 38.1 - 39.7 -

The median age of Ashland, 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 9 395 +31.85% 349 -11.03% 530 305
10 to 19 525 +9.31% 615 -16.16% 564 520
20 to 29 703 -3.3% 623 -12.86% 678 546
30 to 39 432 +37.19% 486 -15.34% 607 401
40 to 49 440 -25.81% 382 +22.82% 330 451
50 to 59 502 -9.23% 572 -17.88% 456 474
60 to 69 462 +14.45% 481 +5.7% 528 506
70+ 429 -2.95% 601 -3.27% 413 581

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Ashland, Wisconsin is $50,053.00.

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.

  • Under 25
    $55,179.00
  • 25 to 44
    $52,979.00
  • 45 to 64
    $57,500.00
  • 65 and over
    $37,132.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Ashland, 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, Wisconsin is currently $60,067.00.

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.

2.56% of households in Ashland 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 against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    30.61%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.33%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.42%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.04%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    9.80%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.24%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.56%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Ashland is $26,591.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Ashland, 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 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
    8.88%
  • Bachelor's degree
    22.34%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    6.24%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    60.77%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.78%

Employment

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

The total population of Ashland over the age of 16 is 6,544.

Of those people, a total of 64.50% 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 is 60.80%.

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 573 59.50% 24.90%
20 to 24 years 756 74.90% 8.50%
25 to 29 years 468 95.70% 0.20%
30 to 34 years 466 82.20% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 930 90.30% 9.50%
45 to 54 years 827 78.10% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 496 79.20% 2.50%
60 to 64 years 536 63.40% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 804 18.40% 0.00%
75 years and over 688 16.60% 13.20%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Ashland. 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 5,760 65.20% 4.50%
Black or African American 104 38.50% 40.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 402 51.00% 26.80%
Asian 93 73.10% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 3 66.70% 0.00%
Other 39 25.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 143 95.80% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 192 68.80% 4.50%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,636 65.00% 4.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Ashland 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 is 3,980, with median earnings of $33,383.00.

Women in Ashland, Wisconsin earning approximately 59.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,980 $33,383.00
Male 2,097 $43,441.00
Female 1,883 $25,976.00

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 326 $50,682.00
Business and Financial 64 $30,893.00
Computer and Mathematical 61 $53,631.00
Architecture and Engineering 54 $86,515.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 72 $65,208.00
Community and Social Service 46 $34,063.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 179 $26,544.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 41 $40,781.00
Healthcare Practitioners 223 $58,449.00
Healthcare Support 132 $25,893.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 21 $2,499.00
Law Enforcement 11 $4,792.00
Food Preparation and Serving 169 $7,090.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 209 $17,770.00
Personal Care and Service 93 $5,474.00
Sales 421 $26,632.00
Office and Administrative Support 635 $32,558.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 58 $2,499.00
Construction and Extraction 299 $39,979.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 215 $56,771.00
Production 314 $40,833.00
Transportation and Material Moving 143 $18,917.00

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 184 $71,000.00 142 $37,619.00
Business and Financial 34 $55,278.00 30 $25,313.00
Computer and Mathematical 51 $53,036.00 10 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 54 $86,515.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 30 $74,423.00 42 $63,125.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 46 $34,063.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 66 $7,321.00 113 $26,838.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 41 $40,781.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 58 $54,357.00 165 $58,866.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 132 $25,893.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 6 $0.00 15 $0.00
Law Enforcement 5 $0.00 6 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 66 $7,500.00 103 $6,653.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 67 $31,821.00 142 $8,750.00
Personal Care and Service 43 $5,060.00 50 $6,563.00
Sales 223 $43,450.00 198 $14,786.00
Office and Administrative Support 60 $34,000.00 575 $32,415.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 46 $2,499.00 12 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 291 $43,375.00 8 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 215 $56,771.00 0 $0.00
Production 289 $43,681.00 25 $30,114.00
Transportation and Material Moving 95 $48,295.00 48 $0.00

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 3,244 households in Ashland, with an average household size of 2.26 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 1,770 families in Ashland with an average family size of 2.93 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 1,218 138 414 1,474
Average Household Size 2.93 2.25 3.64 1.32
Total Families 1,218 138 414 0
Average Household Size 2.93 2.17 3.21 0

Poverty

Of the 1,770 families in Ashland, 16.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Ashland:

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 3,756 housing units in Ashland, Wisconsin.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,244 86.37%
Vacant 512 13.63%

32.29% of the total 3,756 housing units in Ashland are rental units. This is approximately 1,213 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,965 are occupied by the owner - or 52.32% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Ashland is $671.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Ashland 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
    66
  • Less than $500
    395
  • $500 to $999
    539
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    230
  • $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 is $112,200.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    214
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    610
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    480
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    256
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    276
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    108
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    21
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,506
  • 1940 to 1949
    275
  • 1950 to 1959
    285
  • 1960 to 1969
    299
  • 1970 to 1979
    615
  • 1980 to 1989
    249
  • 1990 to 1999
    309
  • 2000 to 2009
    114
  • 2010 to 2013
    104
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    237
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,301
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,288
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    418

Commuting to Work

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

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

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
    291
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,380
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    761
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    574
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    308
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    37
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    138
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    16
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    11
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    75
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    122
  • 90 or more minutes
    39

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Ashland, 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.