Waupaca County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Waupaca 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 | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,567 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 67.4 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.10% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.5 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 22,570 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Waupaca County declined by 0.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 51,567 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Waupaca County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.9% of residents. That is 2.2 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,197 17.8% -3.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,673 18.8% -2.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 11,817 22.9% +2.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,655 20.7% +2.8 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 49.4% of the people living in Waupaca County and men 50.6%.
- Women 49.4% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 50.6% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Waupaca County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Waupaca County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,318 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.22% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Waupaca County is about 6% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $293,745 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $851 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.3% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Waupaca County is about 28.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $851 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Waupaca County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 172 hours, about 7.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.6 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.2 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 172 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,324 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,092 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 632 | 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 Waupaca County is 21 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
Waupaca County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.23 | 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
Waupaca County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Waupaca County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.0% | 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).
Waupaca County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Waupaca County, WI is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 51,567 residents against a local median of 70,832. Waupaca County, WI's median home price, at $293,745, runs 202% above the $97,315 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $376,305 on median home price, so Waupaca County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Waupaca County, WI has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waupaca County, WI | 51,567 | $73,318 #4/6 | $293,745 #2/6 | 20.6 min #5/6 |
| Shawano County, WI | 41,039 | $67,359 | $71,304 | 18.4 min |
| Waushara County, WI | 24,869 | $67,446 | $428,952 | 23.9 min |
| Outagamie County, WI | 192,703 | $86,693 | $167,968 | 18.0 min |
| Winnebago County, WI | 171,769 | $74,932 | $97,315 | 16.7 min |
| Portage County, WI | 70,832 | $76,397 | $52,647 | 16.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Waupaca County, Wisconsin?
About 51,567 people live in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, in 22,570 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 45.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
Is Waupaca County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Waupaca County, Wisconsin has 67 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Is Waupaca County, Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 4.0 times the median household income ($293,745 against $73,318), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $851 a month takes about 14% 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 Waupaca County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Waupaca County, Wisconsin is only 2.8%, 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 Waupaca County, Wisconsin?
18.5% of adults in Waupaca 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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