Balsam Lake, Wisconsin Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 754, Balsam Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Balsam Lake is a small community located in Wisconsin, within Polk County. The total population is 754. It ranks as the 452nd most populous out of 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin.

Age Demographics

The median age in Balsam Lake is 55.9 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 12.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 16.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Balsam Lake is $52,011. This is 33% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.2%. This is 6% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 1.1%. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $210,200. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Balsam Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.6%. The Black or African American population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 8.0%.

Education

17.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% lower than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Balsam Lake, Wisconsin is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Wisconsin state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.