Washburn County, Wisconsin Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Washburn 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 Washburn County, Wisconsin. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Washburn County, Wisconsin. The estimated population of Washburn County, Wisconsin is 16,561 people, with a median age of 51.7.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,561
+5.31%
+5.90%
2020
15,726
+0.24%
-
2019
15,688
 -0.01% -
2018
15,689
+0.33%
-
2017
15,638
 - -

Population of Washburn 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
93.6%
94.6%
 -1.06%
Black/African American
0.3%
0.5%
 -40.00%
Native
0.9%
1.2%
 -25.00%
Hispanic
1.9%
1.7%
 +11.76%
Asian
0.5%
0.5%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.4%
1.5%
 +60.00%
Other
0.2%
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 Washburn 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 51.7 0% 51.7 -0.19% 51.8 +0.39%
2020 51.7 +0.98% 51.8 +1.77% 51.6 +0.58%
2019 51.2 +0.99% 50.9 +0.59% 51.3 +1.18%
2018 50.7 +0.6% 50.6 +0.4% 50.7 +0.6%
2017 50.4 - 50.4 - 50.4 -

The median age of Washburn 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 9 774 +2.61% 797 -4.82% 788 754
10 to 19 886 +11.11% 829 +7.62% 988 893
20 to 29 588 +11.48% 645 +7.97% 657 691
30 to 39 758 +9.02% 823 -12.44% 828 724
40 to 49 816 -7.99% 817 +9.74% 750 899
50 to 59 1,337 -0.73% 1,283 +1.56% 1,317 1,298
60 to 69 1,346 +21.13% 1,334 +7.37% 1,649 1,432
70+ 1,211 +9.76% 1,394 +11.64% 1,333 1,560

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Washburn County, Wisconsin is $54,550.00.

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 Washburn County.

  • Under 25
    $35,313.00
  • 25 to 44
    $62,981.00
  • 45 to 64
    $60,442.00
  • 65 and over
    $46,200.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Washburn 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 Washburn County, Wisconsin is currently $72,263.00.

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.

2.65% of households in Washburn 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 Washburn County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.83%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    26.07%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.52%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.33%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14.72%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.87%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.65%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Washburn County is $32,188.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Washburn 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 Washburn 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
    7.45%
  • Bachelor's degree
    26.03%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.51%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    48.64%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.38%

Employment

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

The total population of Washburn County over the age of 16 is 13,808.

Of those people, a total of 54.40% 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 Washburn County is 52.20%.

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 670 51.60% 10.10%
20 to 24 years 675 82.10% 4.00%
25 to 29 years 673 70.60% 7.20%
30 to 34 years 708 82.90% 6.60%
35 to 44 years 1,613 80.60% 3.40%
45 to 54 years 2,009 81.00% 1.40%
55 to 59 years 1,486 76.00% 4.20%
60 to 64 years 1,559 50.90% 3.70%
65 to 74 years 2,728 22.50% 4.40%
75 years and over 1,687 4.80% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Washburn 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 13,108 54.40% 3.50%
Black or African American 79 53.20% 14.30%
American Indian and Alaska Native 149 42.30% 1.60%
Asian 72 83.30% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 14 7.10% 0.00%
Other 56 19.60% 0.00%
Two or more races 330 59.10% 21.50%
Hispanic or Latino 197 42.10% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 13,029 54.50% 3.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Washburn 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 Washburn County is 7,206, with median earnings of $34,586.00.

Women in Washburn County, Wisconsin earning approximately 64.90% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 7,206 $34,586.00
Male 3,608 $43,106.00
Female 3,598 $27,996.00

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 613 $66,490.00
Business and Financial 306 $56,250.00
Computer and Mathematical 68 $53,750.00
Architecture and Engineering 117 $59,931.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 98 $53,750.00
Community and Social Service 129 $45,938.00
Legal 21 $135,417.00
Educational and Library 386 $46,923.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 54 $26,029.00
Healthcare Practitioners 407 $57,986.00
Healthcare Support 371 $23,606.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 36 $43,500.00
Law Enforcement 72 $47,500.00
Food Preparation and Serving 468 $11,667.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 219 $24,375.00
Personal Care and Service 163 $13,155.00
Sales 667 $26,116.00
Office and Administrative Support 772 $29,489.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 95 $36,875.00
Construction and Extraction 543 $42,984.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 312 $39,537.00
Production 746 $35,677.00
Transportation and Material Moving 309 $50,096.00

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 310 $83,750.00 303 $34,561.00
Business and Financial 128 $84,583.00 178 $47,115.00
Computer and Mathematical 35 $67,813.00 33 $36,875.00
Architecture and Engineering 92 $61,667.00 25 $36,488.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 63 $54,688.00 35 $35,625.00
Community and Social Service 53 $53,125.00 76 $42,083.00
Legal 13 $250,001.00 8 $67,500.00
Educational and Library 100 $52,200.00 286 $44,070.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 17 $20,313.00 37 $26,691.00
Healthcare Practitioners 74 $76,429.00 333 $54,886.00
Healthcare Support 62 $36,250.00 309 $21,193.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 19 $43,375.00 17 $45,208.00
Law Enforcement 69 $49,375.00 3 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 156 $8,625.00 312 $12,667.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 108 $31,548.00 111 $19,583.00
Personal Care and Service 46 $3,750.00 117 $14,583.00
Sales 219 $45,938.00 448 $23,571.00
Office and Administrative Support 146 $29,167.00 626 $29,539.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 70 $33,333.00 25 $53,083.00
Construction and Extraction 536 $43,266.00 7 $11,875.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 302 $39,200.00 10 $0.00
Production 531 $38,542.00 215 $26,375.00
Transportation and Material Moving 281 $52,188.00 28 $40,909.00

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 7,084 households in Washburn County, with an average household size of 2.31 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 4,495 families in Washburn County with an average family size of 2.88 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 3,884 215 396 2,589
Average Household Size 2.85 3.71 3.48 1.2
Total Families 3,884 215 396 0
Average Household Size 2.84 3.07 3.21 0

Poverty

Of the 4,495 families in Washburn County, 8.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Washburn 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 12,760 housing units in Washburn County, Wisconsin.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,084 55.52%
Vacant 5,676 44.48%

9.48% of the total 12,760 housing units in Washburn County are rental units. This is approximately 1,210 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,727 are occupied by the owner - or 44.88% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Washburn County is $756.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Washburn 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
    147
  • Less than $500
    278
  • $500 to $999
    727
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    163
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    39
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    3

Property Value

The median value of a property in Washburn County is $170,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    364
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    879
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,137
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1,001
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    1,295
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    770
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    249
  • $1,000,000 or more
    32

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,295
  • 1940 to 1949
    729
  • 1950 to 1959
    771
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,119
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,004
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,664
  • 1990 to 1999
    2,249
  • 2000 to 2009
    2,308
  • 2010 to 2013
    612
  • 2014 or later
    9

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 Washburn County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    260
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,012
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,730
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,082

Commuting to Work

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

24.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Washburn 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
    465
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    917
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    776
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    858
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    889
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    569
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    650
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    183
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    186
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    373
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    235
  • 90 or more minutes
    202

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Washburn 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 Washburn County, Wisconsin

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