Chain O' Lakes, Wisconsin Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 908, Chain O' Lakes'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

Chain O' Lakes is a small community located in Wisconsin, within Waupaca County. The total population is 908. It ranks as the 412th most populous out of 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chain O' Lakes is 64.0 years. This is 59% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 7.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 14.6% 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 Chain O' Lakes is $83,194. This is 7% higher than the state median of $77,485. It is also 3% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.7%. This is 65% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 6.5%. This is 99% higher than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $640,000. Housing costs are 140% higher than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 86.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Chain O' Lakes has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 8.0%.

Education

69.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Chain O' Lakes in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 108% higher 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 99.4%. Notably, 16.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chain O' Lakes, 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.