Monroe County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

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

Monroe County, Wisconsin has a population of 46,208, the 31st most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $69,467 and the median home value is $210,000. The poverty rate is 11.7%.

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

Monroe County Quick Facts

Population 46,208

Median Household Income $69,467

Median Home Value $210,000

Poverty Rate 11.7%

Unemployment Rate 3.2%

Median Age 39.7 years

Homeownership Rate 72.8%

Affordability Ratio 3.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.3%

High School Graduation 90.8%

Cities/Places 13

Population 46,208 31st of 72

Median Income $69,467 10% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.7%

Unemployment 3.2%

How Monroe 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	46,169	46,208	+0.1%
Median household income	$68,213	$69,467	+1.8%
Median home value	$197,200	$210,000	+6.5%

Median Household Income

Monroe

$69,467

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Monroe

$210,000

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.4%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 32.5%

$100K+ 32.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.5%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

2.8%

$20K-$25K

3.4%

$25K-$30K

4.7%

$30K-$35K

4.7%

$35K-$40K

3.9%

$40K-$45K

4.2%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

9.1%

$60K-$75K

10.1%

$75K-$100K

13.4%

$100K-$125K

11.8%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

8.2%

$200K+

5.4%

Employment

3.2% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

63.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.8%

Renter 27.2%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $914/mo 15.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.4%

18-34

18.3%

35-54

24.3%

55-74

24.9%

75+

7.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very 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 Monroe County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Sparta	9,950	$64,973	11.3%	$180,600
Tomah	9,532	$51,274	16.7%	$174,300
Cashton	1,281	$70,074	20.7%	$140,800
Norwalk	662	$66,146	8.6%	$96,700
Wilton	532	$85,598	6.3%	$166,800
Warrens	438	$67,321	6.6%	$155,100
Ontario	422	$50,250	9.5%	$141,700
Kendall	379	$58,750	6.9%	$107,500
Oakdale	321	$88,182	8.4%	$178,100
Wyeville	159	$65,000	9.4%	$137,500
Cataract	138	$51,964	9.2%	$212,500
Tunnel City	105	$250,000+	7.6%	$201,700
Melvina	89	$58,750	0.0%	$235,000

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

Monroe County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 46,208. It is the 31st most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Monroe County is 39.7 years. This is 1% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Monroe County is $69,467. This is 10% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 14% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.7%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 2% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $210,000. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 72.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Monroe County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 5.8%. The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

21.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% 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 90.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Monroe 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 Monroe County, Wisconsin?

Monroe County has a population of 46,208, making it the 31st most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Monroe County?

The median household income in Monroe County is $69,467 with a poverty rate of 11.7%.

How many cities are in Monroe County, Wisconsin?

Monroe County contains 13 Census-designated places.