Ashland County, Wisconsin Income Statistics
Ashland County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
D
Ashland County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ashland County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,326 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,252 | $59,261 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 9.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ashland County is about 21% lower than in Wisconsin. Income has been growing faster in Ashland County (5.5%/yr) than in Wisconsin (4.4%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Ashland County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Wisconsin average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Ashland County, Wisconsin grew by 62.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,326 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ashland County
| Metric | Ashland County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.503 | 0.503 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,315 | $67,892 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,449 | $54,788 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.7% | 19.3% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Ashland County, it is 0.503, about the same as Wisconsin's 0.503, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Ashland County, Wisconsin. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $380,310 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ashland County, Wisconsin has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,544 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ashland County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.7% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 297 people are unemployed in Ashland County, Wisconsin.
The average commute time in Ashland County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Wisconsin.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ashland County, Wisconsin has fallen from 9.6% to 3.8% in 2024.
Ashland County, WI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ashland County, WI is typical in size for this group, 16,080 residents against a local median of 14,317, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Ashland County, WI sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 13% above the local median at 5.5%/yr against 4.9%/yr. Ashland County, WI has the highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland County, WI | 16,080 | $61,326 #2/6 | 5.5%/yr #1/6 | 3.8% #4/6 | 0.503 #6/6 |
| Iron County, WI | 6,210 | $60,580 | 5.1%/yr | 2.5% | 0.461 |
| Bayfield County, WI | 16,575 | $71,393 | 5.1%/yr | 3.6% | 0.489 |
| Gogebic County, MI | 14,317 | $52,407 | 4.9%/yr | 6.5% | 0.501 |
| Sawyer County, WI | 18,476 | $60,880 | 4.8%/yr | 6.0% | 0.501 |
| Price County, WI | 14,089 | $60,738 | 4.1%/yr | 2.9% | 0.479 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ashland County, Wisconsin has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Wisconsin, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ashland County, Wisconsin.
How Wealthy Is Ashland County, Wisconsin?
Ashland County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $61,326, about 21% lower than the Wisconsin average of $77,698.
How has median household income changed in Ashland County, Wisconsin?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ashland County, Wisconsin rose 63%, from $37,679 to $61,326. Over the same years, income here outpaced Wisconsin as a whole: +63% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Ashland County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ashland County, Wisconsin was $58,036, about the same as in 2022. The Wisconsin median that year was $75,781.
What was the median household income in Ashland County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ashland County, Wisconsin was $47,695. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $61,326.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ashland County, Wisconsin?
The Gini coefficient in Ashland County is 0.503. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Ashland County, Wisconsin?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ashland County, Wisconsin has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2011, and was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,544 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →