Jackson County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

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

Jackson County, Wisconsin has a population of 20,981, the 51st most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $68,110 and the median home value is $196,100. The poverty rate is 12.4%.

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

Jackson County Quick Facts

Population 20,981

Median Household Income $68,110

Median Home Value $196,100

Poverty Rate 12.4%

Unemployment Rate 4.7%

Median Age 43.4 years

Homeownership Rate 80.1%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.9%

High School Graduation 92.1%

Cities/Places 10

Population 20,981 51st of 72

Median Income $68,110 12% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.4%

Unemployment 4.7%

How Jackson 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	20,971	20,981	+0.0%
Median household income	$65,508	$68,110	+4.0%
Median home value	$186,900	$196,100	+4.9%

Median Household Income

Jackson

$68,110

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Jackson

$196,100

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 16.6%

$25K-$50K 19.1%

$50K-$100K 35.5%

$100K+ 28.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.3%

$10K-$15K

5.0%

$15K-$20K

3.8%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

6.9%

$60K-$75K

14.0%

$75K-$100K

14.7%

$100K-$125K

11.6%

$125K-$150K

6.4%

$150K-$200K

5.6%

$200K+

5.1%

Employment

4.7% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

57.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.1%

Renter 19.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $787/mo 13.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.1%

18-34

19.0%

35-54

24.3%

55-74

27.3%

75+

8.3%

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 Jackson County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Black River Falls	3,546	$66,632	9.9%	$171,800
Alma Center	713	$68,250	7.1%	$142,500
Melrose	562	$48,750	18.9%	$151,600
Merrillan	527	$52,273	19.4%	$139,600
Hixton	422	$76,563	5.7%	$158,600
Mission	349	$46,875	35.9%	$122,100
Taylor	328	$59,531	11.6%	$117,500
Hatfield	190	$60,417	12.1%	$209,200
Sand Pillow	176	$35,625	26.1%	$141,700
Millston	114	$51,250	12.3%	$133,900

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

Jackson County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 20,981. It is the 51st most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jackson County is 43.4 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Jackson County is $68,110. This is 12% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.4%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 4.7%. This is 45% higher than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $196,100. Housing costs are 26% lower than the state median of $266,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Jackson County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jackson County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.7%. The Black or African American population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 8.0%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

15.9% 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 92.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jackson 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 Jackson County, Wisconsin?

Jackson County has a population of 20,981, making it the 51st most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Jackson County?

The median household income in Jackson County is $68,110 with a poverty rate of 12.4%.

How many cities are in Jackson County, Wisconsin?

Jackson County contains 10 Census-designated places.