Vilas County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Vilas 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 82% of counties in Wisconsin
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C
Income Below average
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C
Education Below averageBetter educated than 87% of counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,647 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 23.2 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.28% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 56.4 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,147 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Vilas County grew by 8.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 23,647 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Vilas County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 31.0% of residents. That is 13.2 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,171 13.4% -8.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,391 14.3% -6.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,392 22.8% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,331 31.0% +13.2 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 48.5% of the people living in Vilas County and men 51.5%.
- Women 48.5% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 51.5% Wisconsin 50.0%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Vilas County
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Economy
Vilas County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,038 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.36% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Vilas County is about 12% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $215,000 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $846 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.0% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Vilas County is about 21.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $846 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Vilas County spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 135 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.2 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.4 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 135 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,190 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,472 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 437 | 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 Vilas 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
Vilas County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.10 | 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
Vilas County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Vilas County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.5% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.3% | 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).
Vilas County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
How Vilas County, WI compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vilas County, WI | 23,647 | $68,038 #3/3 | $215,000 #3/3 | 16.2 min #2/3 |
| Oneida County, WI | 38,164 | $68,781 | $258,637 | 16.0 min |
| Lincoln County, WI | 28,426 | $70,061 | $245,833 | 18.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Vilas County, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Vilas County, Wisconsin?
About 23,647 people live in Vilas County, Wisconsin, in 11,147 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 56.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 19 years.
How densely populated is Vilas County, Wisconsin?
Averaged over its land area, Vilas County, Wisconsin has 23 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 27% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Vilas County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income ($215,000 against $68,038), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $846 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Vilas County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Vilas County, Wisconsin is only 4.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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