Barron County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Barron County, 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.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,797 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 52.6 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.34% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.9 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,955 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Barron County grew by 2.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 46,797 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Barron County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.3% of residents. That is 4.4 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,506 18.2% -3.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,386 17.9% -2.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,711 20.8% on par
- Boomers 61–79 10,430 22.3% +4.4 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 Barron County and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 49.8% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Barron County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Barron County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,990 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.64% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Barron County is about 14% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $59,553 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $879 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.4% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Barron County is about 5.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $879 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Barron County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 136 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.3 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.5 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 136 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,201 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,954 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 358 | 811 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Wisconsin:
Ashland County (12.8 min), Door County (13.6 min), Eau Claire County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Oconto County (26.4 min), St. Croix County (25.3 min), Waushara County (23.9 min).
The average commute time in Barron County is 16 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
Barron County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.5% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.31 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.4), Ozaukee County (0.4), Waukesha County (0.4).
Lowest:
Clark County (0.2), Adams County (0.2), Juneau County (0.2).
Health
Barron County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Barron County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.8% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.8), Waukesha County (0.8), Ozaukee County (0.8).
Lowest:
Menominee County (0.8), Clark County (0.8), Forest County (0.8).
Barron County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Barron County, WI is typical in size for this group, 46,797 residents against a local median of 45,555, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Barron County, WI breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 37% below the local median of $94,354 at $59,553.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 16.3 min against a local median of 20.2 min, 20% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 20% below the local median it puts Barron County, WI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $309,752 on median home price, so Barron County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barron County, WI has the 3rd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barron County, WI | 46,797 | $66,990 #4/4 | $59,553 #3/4 | 16.3 min #1/4 |
| Dunn County, WI | 45,527 | $74,793 | $94,354 | 18.4 min |
| Polk County, WI | 45,555 | $77,091 | $329,308 | 23.1 min |
| Chippewa County, WI | 66,799 | $74,640 | $19,556 | 20.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Barron County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Barron County, Wisconsin?
About 46,797 people live in Barron County, Wisconsin, in 19,955 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Barron County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Barron County, Wisconsin has 53 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 61% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Barron County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 0.9 times the median household income ($59,553 against $66,990), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $879 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Barron County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Barron County, Wisconsin is only 2.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Barron County, Wisconsin?
19.5% of adults in Barron County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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