Manitowoc County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Manitowoc 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
-
B
Income Around average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,406 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 54.5 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.19% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.2 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 35,188 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Manitowoc County grew by 0.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 81,406 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Manitowoc County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.7% of residents. That is 2.0 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 15,060 18.5% -2.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 14,882 18.3% -2.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 18,489 22.7% +2.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 17,046 20.9% +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 50.5% of the people living in Manitowoc County and men 49.5%.
- Women 50.5% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 49.5% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Manitowoc County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Manitowoc County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,189 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.46% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Manitowoc County is about 10% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $166,249 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $796 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.1% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Manitowoc County is about 17.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $796 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Manitowoc 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 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.4 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.8 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 136 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,231 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,342 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 665 | 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 Manitowoc 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
Manitowoc County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.27 | 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
Manitowoc County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Manitowoc County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.5% | 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).
Manitowoc County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Manitowoc County, WI is typical in size for this group, 81,406 residents against a local median of 92,977, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Manitowoc County, WI's median home price, at $166,249, runs 23% below the $217,310 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $484,921 on median home price, so Manitowoc County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Manitowoc County, WI has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc County, WI | 81,406 | $70,189 #6/6 | $166,249 #5/6 | 16.4 min #2/6 |
| Sheboygan County, WI | 117,991 | $73,392 | $169,411 | 15.8 min |
| Kewaunee County, WI | 20,663 | $82,380 | $124,993 | 23.2 min |
| Brown County, WI | 270,600 | $80,359 | $217,310 | 17.2 min |
| Calumet County, WI | 52,942 | $89,099 | $609,913 | 18.5 min |
| Ozaukee County, WI | 92,977 | $97,459 | $308,928 | 21.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
How big is Manitowoc County, Wisconsin by population?
About 81,406 people live in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, in 35,188 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 45.2, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
Is Manitowoc County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin has 55 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 63% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Manitowoc County, Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($166,249 against $70,189), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $796 a month takes about 14% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin is only 2.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin have a college degree?
21.9% of adults in Manitowoc 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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