Waushara County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Waushara 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 77% of counties in Wisconsin
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 90% of counties in Wisconsin
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 90% of counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,869 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 39.0 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.32% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 50.3 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 10,586 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Waushara County grew by 0.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 24,869 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Waushara County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 25.1% of residents. That is 7.3 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 3,861 15.5% -5.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,283 17.2% -3.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,967 24.0% +3.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,247 25.1% +7.3 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 47.4% of the people living in Waushara County and men 52.6%.
- Women 47.4% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 52.6% Wisconsin 50.0%
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100% of everyone living in Waushara County
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Economy
Waushara County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,446 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.75% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Waushara County is about 13% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $428,952 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $795 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Waushara County is about 45.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $795 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Waushara County spend about 48 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 199 hours, about 8.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.9 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 47.8 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 199 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,175 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,391 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 350 | 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 Waushara County is 24 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
Waushara County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.26 | 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
Waushara County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Waushara County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.5 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.7% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.4% | 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).
Waushara County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Waushara County, WI is the 3rd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 24,869 residents against a local median of 51,567. Waushara County, WI's median home price, at $428,952, runs 254% above the $121,315 typical of the counties around it.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 23.9 min against a local median of 20.6 min, 16% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 16% above the local median it puts Waushara County, WI at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $241,098 on median home price, so Waushara County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Waushara County, WI has the highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waushara County, WI | 24,869 | $67,446 #3/4 | $428,952 #1/4 | 23.9 min #4/4 |
| Portage County, WI | 70,832 | $76,397 | $52,647 | 16.1 min |
| Waupaca County, WI | 51,567 | $73,318 | $293,745 | 20.6 min |
| Adams County, WI | 21,114 | $59,459 | $121,315 | 23.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Waushara County, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Waushara County, Wisconsin?
About 24,869 people live in Waushara County, Wisconsin, in 10,586 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 50.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 13 years.
Is Waushara County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Waushara County, Wisconsin has 39 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 45% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Waushara County, Wisconsin an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 6.4 times the median household income ($428,952 against $67,446), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $795 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 Waushara County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Waushara County, Wisconsin is only 3.9%, 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 Waushara County, Wisconsin?
15.8% of adults in Waushara County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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