Appleton, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Appleton, WI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,075 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2664.9 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.14% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.9 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 28,924 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Appleton grew by 8.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 69,075 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Appleton is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.7% of residents. That is 1.4 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 15,703 22.7% +1.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 15,205 22.0% +1.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,723 19.9% -0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,209 14.8% -3.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Wisconsin, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.2% of the people living in Appleton and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 49.8% Wisconsin 50.0%
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Economy
Appleton has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,857 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.76% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Appleton is about the same as in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $142,497 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,018 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.7% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Appleton is about 11.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,018 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Appleton spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 138 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.6 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.1 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 138 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,276 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 15,102 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,302 | 811 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Appleton is 17 minutes, shorter than the 19 minutes in Wisconsin.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Appleton has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.31 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Health
Appleton has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Appleton | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.3 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.3% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.8% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Appleton, WI Compared With Nearby Cities
How Appleton, WI compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | 69,075 | $77,857 #2/2 | $142,497 #1/2 | 16.6 min #2/2 |
| Fox Crossing, WI | 20,338 | $81,059 | $49,802 | 16.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Appleton, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Appleton, Wisconsin?
About 69,075 people live in Appleton, Wisconsin, in 28,924 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 38.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 2 years.
Is Appleton, Wisconsin mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Appleton, Wisconsin has 2,665 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 31 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Appleton, Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.8 times the median household income ($142,497 against $77,857), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,018 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Appleton, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Appleton, Wisconsin is only 3.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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