Appleton, Outagamie County, Wisconsin Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Appleton, 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 Appleton, Wisconsin. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Appleton, Wisconsin. The estimated population of Appleton, Wisconsin is 62,266 people, with a median age of 36.3.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
62,266
+1.16%
+1.53%
2020
61,550
-0.01% -
2019
61,558
+0.05%
-
2018
61,530
+0.33%
-
2017
61,329
- -

Population of Appleton, 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
80.6%
82%
-1.71%
Black/African American
3.1%
2.7%
+14.81%
Native
0.5%
0.6%
-16.67%
Hispanic
6.1%
5.7%
+7.02%
Asian
6.4%
7%
-8.57%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.2%
2%
+60.00%
Other
0%
0.1%
-100.00%

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 Appleton, 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 36.3 +0.55% 35.8 -0.56% 37 +1.93%
2020 36.1 +0.84% 36 +1.69% 36.3 -1.09%
2019 35.8 -1.38% 35.4 +0.28% 36.7 -1.34%
2018 36.3 +1.97% 35.3 +1.15% 37.2 +2.2%
2017 35.6 - 34.9 - 36.4 -

The median age of Appleton, 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 4,202 -4.64% 4,114 +2.83% 3,993 4,228
10 to 19 4,261 +9.09% 4,335 -4.91% 4,628 4,117
20 to 29 4,244 +1.12% 4,198 +6.72% 4,290 4,465
30 to 39 4,519 +2.57% 4,362 -0.38% 4,633 4,334
40 to 49 3,919 -1.76% 3,589 -6.91% 3,842 3,344
50 to 59 4,225 -6.22% 4,378 -2.81% 3,968 4,243
60 to 69 2,701 +4.32% 3,032 +6% 2,809 3,211
70+ 2,097 +27.01% 3,153 +9.35% 2,712 3,449

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Appleton, Wisconsin is $68,006.00.

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 Appleton.

  • Under 25
    $52,167.00
  • 25 to 44
    $71,724.00
  • 45 to 64
    $81,236.00
  • 65 and over
    $50,831.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Appleton, 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 Appleton, Wisconsin is currently $104,187.00.

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.

6.67% of households in Appleton 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 Appleton against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    13.87%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    21.14%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.14%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.26%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    17.01%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    5.92%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.67%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Appleton is $42,136.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Appleton 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
    13.51%
  • Bachelor's degree
    37.09%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    10.62%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    36.24%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.53%

Employment

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

The total population of Appleton over the age of 16 is 49,275.

Of those people, a total of 69.80% 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 Appleton is 67.10%.

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 3,975 55.30% 6.10%
20 to 24 years 4,394 75.60% 6.00%
25 to 29 years 4,361 91.40% 3.50%
30 to 34 years 4,319 86.30% 2.30%
35 to 44 years 8,369 89.90% 4.20%
45 to 54 years 7,513 86.80% 3.40%
55 to 59 years 4,163 81.10% 5.10%
60 to 64 years 3,209 59.10% 1.40%
65 to 74 years 5,407 27.10% 0.50%
75 years and over 3,565 10.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Appleton. 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 42,297 70.20% 3.40%
Black or African American 1,413 60.70% 9.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 291 54.30% 5.70%
Asian 3,094 68.80% 5.80%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 21 100.00% 0.00%
Other 569 72.10% 2.90%
Two or more races 1,590 71.30% 5.20%
Hispanic or Latino 2,419 73.10% 7.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 41,241 70.00% 3.20%

Occupations

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

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Appleton is 33,081, with median earnings of $39,493.00.

Women in Appleton, Wisconsin earning approximately 72.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 33,081 $39,493.00
Male 17,097 $45,678.00
Female 15,984 $33,251.00

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 3,120 $70,868.00
Business and Financial 1,905 $64,391.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,011 $62,131.00
Architecture and Engineering 913 $71,463.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 181 $57,875.00
Community and Social Service 567 $37,878.00
Legal 317 $46,472.00
Educational and Library 2,243 $42,710.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 732 $30,541.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,795 $57,072.00
Healthcare Support 1,323 $24,816.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 220 $25,517.00
Law Enforcement 130 $74,808.00
Food Preparation and Serving 2,075 $9,959.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 996 $19,971.00
Personal Care and Service 629 $17,625.00
Sales 2,756 $34,407.00
Office and Administrative Support 3,675 $34,952.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 30 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,115 $42,520.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 950 $51,111.00
Production 3,945 $40,434.00
Transportation and Material Moving 1,042 $36,212.00

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 1,689 $85,675.00 1,431 $54,646.00
Business and Financial 890 $66,795.00 1,015 $57,472.00
Computer and Mathematical 681 $61,051.00 330 $70,948.00
Architecture and Engineering 692 $72,345.00 221 $65,983.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 125 $41,756.00 56 $70,000.00
Community and Social Service 224 $38,942.00 343 $34,336.00
Legal 158 $89,531.00 159 $35,521.00
Educational and Library 522 $56,875.00 1,721 $33,036.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 457 $32,754.00 275 $21,523.00
Healthcare Practitioners 345 $89,306.00 1,450 $52,440.00
Healthcare Support 197 $7,331.00 1,126 $25,786.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 156 $28,143.00 64 $2,500.00
Law Enforcement 130 $74,808.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 932 $7,447.00 1,143 $12,908.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 729 $24,107.00 267 $14,946.00
Personal Care and Service 181 $17,344.00 448 $17,721.00
Sales 1,356 $49,375.00 1,400 $25,431.00
Office and Administrative Support 973 $34,276.00 2,702 $35,159.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 30 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,037 $43,535.00 78 $26,250.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 909 $51,403.00 41 $14,550.00
Production 2,658 $44,804.00 1,287 $26,783.00
Transportation and Material Moving 950 $38,750.00 92 $16,486.00

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 24,797 households in Appleton, with an average household size of 2.41 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 15,426 families in Appleton with an average family size of 3.03 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 11,820 1,127 2,479 9,371
Average Household Size 3.14 3.4 2.95 1.23
Total Families 11,820 1,127 2,479 0
Average Household Size 3.12 2.81 2.66 0

Poverty

Of the 15,426 families in Appleton, 7.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Appleton:

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 25,973 housing units in Appleton, Wisconsin.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 24,797 95.47%
Vacant 1,176 4.53%

29.48% of the total 25,973 housing units in Appleton are rental units. This is approximately 7,656 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 16,921 are occupied by the owner - or 65.15% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Appleton is $817.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Appleton 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
    220
  • Less than $500
    702
  • $500 to $999
    4,813
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,822
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    219
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    61
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    29
  • $3,000 or more
    10

Property Value

The median value of a property in Appleton is $164,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    280
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,350
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    5,124
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4,639
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    3,381
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,650
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    400
  • $1,000,000 or more
    97

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    5,852
  • 1940 to 1949
    1,968
  • 1950 to 1959
    3,848
  • 1960 to 1969
    2,844
  • 1970 to 1979
    4,125
  • 1980 to 1989
    2,461
  • 1990 to 1999
    2,030
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,808
  • 2010 to 2013
    1,037
  • 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 Appleton that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    1,247
  • 1 vehicle available
    8,740
  • 2 vehicles available
    10,666
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    4,144

Commuting to Work

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

19.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Appleton.

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
    1,007
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    4,579
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    6,614
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    6,429
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    4,361
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    1,802
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    2,397
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    711
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    642
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    590
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    382
  • 90 or more minutes
    563

Summary

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