Monroe County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Monroe 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 | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,191 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 50.9 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.23% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 18,295 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Monroe County grew by 7.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 46,191 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Monroe County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.8% of residents. That is about the same share as Wisconsin.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,816 19.1% -2.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,334 20.2% -0.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,612 20.8% on par
- Boomers 61–79 8,197 17.7% -0.1 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 48.7% of the people living in Monroe County and men 51.3%.
- Women 48.7% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 51.3% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Monroe County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Monroe County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,992 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.19% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 11% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $110,057 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $914 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Monroe County is about 10.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $914 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Monroe County spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 143 hours, about 6.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.2 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.4 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 143 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,446 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,627 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 336 | 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 Monroe 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
Monroe County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.48 | 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
Monroe County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Monroe County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.1 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.0% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.0% | 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).
Monroe County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Monroe County, WI is the 2nd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 46,191 residents against a local median of 28,867. Monroe County, WI's commute, at 17.2 min, runs 19% below the 21.3 min typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $110,057 against a local median of $134,977, 18% below it. The counties themselves spread 5.6 min on commute, so Monroe County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Monroe County, WI has the 2nd lowest commute of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, WI | 46,191 | $68,992 #3/5 | $110,057 #3/5 | 17.2 min #2/5 |
| Vernon County, WI | 31,046 | $71,656 | $61,875 | 22.0 min |
| Jackson County, WI | 20,977 | $67,993 | $168,745 | 21.3 min |
| La Crosse County, WI | 120,486 | $73,102 | $167,812 | 16.4 min |
| Juneau County, WI | 26,689 | $68,013 | $102,143 | 21.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Monroe County, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Monroe County, Wisconsin?
About 46,191 people live in Monroe County, Wisconsin, in 18,295 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Monroe County, Wisconsin?
Averaged over its land area, Monroe County, Wisconsin has 51 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 59% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Monroe County, Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($110,057 against $68,992), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $914 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 Monroe County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Monroe County, Wisconsin is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Monroe County, Wisconsin?
18.9% of adults in Monroe County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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 →