Forest County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Forest 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.
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C
Health Below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Wisconsin
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Wisconsin
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 5 least educated counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,369 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9.0 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.36% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.6 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,005 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Forest County declined by 4.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 9,369 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Forest County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 25.0% of residents. That is 7.1 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,624 17.3% -4.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,515 16.2% -4.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,028 21.6% +0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,340 25.0% +7.1 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 49.2% of the people living in Forest County and men 50.8%.
- Women 49.2% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 50.8% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Forest County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Forest County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,492 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.98% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Forest County is about 21% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $65,000 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $593 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Forest County is about 9.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $593 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Forest County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 145 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.4 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.8 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 145 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,495 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 689 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 226 | 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 Forest County 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
Forest County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.29 | 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
Forest County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.7 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.4% | 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).
Forest County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
How Forest County, WI compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest County, WI | 9,369 | $61,492 #2/2 | $65,000 #2/2 | 17.4 min #2/2 |
| Oneida County, WI | 38,164 | $68,781 | $258,637 | 16.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Forest County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Forest County, Wisconsin?
About 9,369 people live in Forest County, Wisconsin, in 4,005 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 47.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
Is Forest County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Forest County, Wisconsin has 9 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 10% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 1.1 times the median household income ($65,000 against $61,492), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $593 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Forest County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Forest County, Wisconsin is only 2.9%, 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 Forest County, Wisconsin?
15.3% of adults in Forest County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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