Vernon County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Vernon 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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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 87% of counties in Wisconsin
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 75% of counties in Wisconsin
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,046 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 38.0 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.25% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.3 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 12,423 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Vernon County grew by 7.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 31,046 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Vernon County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 20.4% of residents. That is 2.5 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,777 18.6% -2.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,360 17.3% -3.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,328 20.4% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,331 20.4% +2.5 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 49.0% of the people living in Vernon County and men 51.0%.
- Women 49.0% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 51.0% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Vernon County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Vernon County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,656 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.80% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Vernon County is about 8% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $61,875 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $835 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.3% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Vernon County is about 6.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $835 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Vernon County spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 183 hours, about 7.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.0 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 44.0 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 183 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,680 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,762 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 360 | 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 Vernon County is 22 minutes, longer 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
Vernon County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 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
Vernon County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Vernon County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.0 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.0% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.3% | 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).
Vernon County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
How Vernon County, WI compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County, WI | 31,046 | $71,656 #2/3 | $61,875 #3/3 | 22.0 min #3/3 |
| Monroe County, WI | 46,191 | $68,992 | $110,057 | 17.2 min |
| La Crosse County, WI | 120,486 | $73,102 | $167,812 | 16.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Vernon County, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Vernon County, Wisconsin?
About 31,046 people live in Vernon County, Wisconsin, in 12,423 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 43.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Vernon County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Vernon County, Wisconsin has 38 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 44% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Vernon County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 0.9 times the median household income ($61,875 against $71,656), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $835 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 Vernon County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Vernon County, Wisconsin is only 2.5%, 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 Vernon County, Wisconsin?
22.3% of adults in Vernon County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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