Portage County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

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

Portage County, Wisconsin has a population of 70,832, the 23rd most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $76,070 and the median home value is $243,100. The poverty rate is 10.1%.

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

Portage County Quick Facts

Population 70,832

Median Household Income $76,070

Median Home Value $243,100

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.2%

Median Age 38.0 years

Homeownership Rate 69.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.0%

High School Graduation 94.5%

Cities/Places 12

Population 70,832 23rd of 72

Median Income $76,070 2% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment 3.2%

How Portage 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	70,375	70,832	+0.6%
Median household income	$73,284	$76,070	+3.8%
Median home value	$230,400	$243,100	+5.5%

Median Household Income

Portage

$76,070

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Portage

$243,100

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.5%

$25K-$50K 19.2%

$50K-$100K 32.8%

$100K+ 36.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.1%

$10K-$15K

2.6%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

4.2%

$30K-$35K

3.4%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

14.3%

$100K-$125K

12.7%

$125K-$150K

8.0%

$150K-$200K

8.7%

$200K+

7.0%

Employment

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

66.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 69.7%

Renter 30.3%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $940/mo 14.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.8%

18-34

27.5%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

24.3%

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 Portage County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Stevens Point	25,785	$58,031	16.6%	$195,400
Plover	13,884	$88,042	9.2%	$269,800
Whiting	1,493	$73,063	6.5%	$220,000
Amherst	1,113	$64,922	6.6%	$244,300
Polonia	776	$119,154	3.4%	$342,700
Bancroft	673	$77,059	17.2%	$98,200
Park Ridge	626	$96,750	4.6%	$287,800
Rosholt	460	$66,250	6.1%	$193,800
Almond	441	$72,431	10.9%	$153,800
Amherst Junction	341	$106,250	2.4%	$314,300
Junction City	311	$62,778	21.2%	$145,300
Nelsonville	190	$58,542	5.3%	$160,900

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

Portage County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 70,832. It is the 23rd most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Portage County is 38.0 years. This is 5% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Portage County is $76,070. This is 2% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.1%. This is 4% lower 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 $243,100. Housing costs are 9% lower than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 69.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Portage County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.2%. The Black or African American population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

34.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 2% 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 94.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Portage 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 Portage County, Wisconsin?

Portage County has a population of 70,832, making it the 23rd most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Portage County?

The median household income in Portage County is $76,070 with a poverty rate of 10.1%.

How many cities are in Portage County, Wisconsin?

Portage County contains 12 Census-designated places.