Butternut, Wisconsin Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 465, Butternut'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

Butternut is a small community located in Wisconsin, within Ashland County. The total population is 465. It ranks as the 549th most populous out of 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin.

Age Demographics

The median age in Butternut is 44.6 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Butternut is $43,750. This is 44% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.9%. This is 165% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.4%. This is 66% higher than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $74,300. Housing costs are 72% lower than the state median of $266,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Butternut is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 58.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Butternut has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 8.0%.

Education

13.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% 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 94.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Butternut, 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.