Forest County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Name: Forest County, Wisconsin Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Forest County, Wisconsin has a population of 9,369, the 68th most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $61,071 and the median home value is $185,000. The poverty rate is 15.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Forest County Quick Facts

Population 9,369

Median Household Income $61,071

Median Home Value $185,000

Poverty Rate 15.2%

Unemployment Rate 2.9%

Median Age 49.3 years

Homeownership Rate 82.0%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.1%

High School Graduation 90.3%

Cities/Places 6

Population 9,369 68th of 72

Median Income $61,071 21% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.2%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Forest County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	9,261	9,369	+1.2%
Median household income	$59,727	$61,071	+2.3%
Median home value	$170,000	$185,000	+8.8%

Median Household Income

Forest

$61,071

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Forest

$185,000

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.7%

$25K-$50K 21.7%

$50K-$100K 34.5%

$100K+ 25.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.4%

$10K-$15K

3.9%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

6.1%

$25K-$30K

4.8%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

4.1%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

15.4%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

4.6%

$150K-$200K

4.7%

$200K+

4.8%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

49.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 82.0%

Renter 18.0%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $594/mo 11.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.3%

18-34

16.4%

35-54

21.7%

55-74

33.0%

75+

9.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Forest County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Crandon	1,365	$42,784	20.9%	$136,500
Laona	631	$53,261	22.8%	$128,100
Mole Lake	533	$38,889	29.8%	$128,100
Wabeno	269	$36,250	22.7%	$112,500
Argonne	96	$72,000	7.3%	$153,800
Newald	82	$34,375	11.0%	$91,400

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Forest County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 9,369. It is the 68th most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Forest County is 49.3 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Forest County is $61,071. This is 21% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.2%. This is 44% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $185,000. Housing costs are 31% lower than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 82.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Forest County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 77.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.2%. The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 8.0%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

16.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 52% 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 90.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Forest County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Wisconsin and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Forest County, Wisconsin?

Forest County has a population of 9,369, making it the 68th most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Forest County?

The median household income in Forest County is $61,071 with a poverty rate of 15.2%.

How many cities are in Forest County, Wisconsin?

Forest County contains 6 Census-designated places.