Waupaca County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

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

Waupaca County, Wisconsin has a population of 51,569, the 29th most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $72,830 and the median home value is $211,400. The poverty rate is 10.4%.

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

Waupaca County Quick Facts

Population 51,569

Median Household Income $72,830

Median Home Value $211,400

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment Rate 2.8%

Median Age 45.3 years

Homeownership Rate 75.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 20.5%

High School Graduation 92.5%

Cities/Places 14

Population 51,569 29th of 72

Median Income $72,830 6% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment 2.8%

How Waupaca 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	51,714	51,569	-0.3%
Median household income	$71,189	$72,830	+2.3%
Median home value	$192,800	$211,400	+9.6%

Median Household Income

Waupaca

$72,830

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Waupaca

$211,400

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.3%

$25K-$50K 18.6%

$50K-$100K 32.0%

$100K+ 34.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.9%

$10K-$15K

3.6%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

3.7%

$25K-$30K

5.0%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

6.6%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

14.8%

$100K-$125K

12.8%

$125K-$150K

7.6%

$150K-$200K

7.8%

$200K+

5.8%

Employment

2.8% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

61.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.3%

Renter 24.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $852/mo 14.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.1%

18-34

17.6%

35-54

24.6%

55-74

29.2%

75+

8.6%

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 Waupaca County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Waupaca	6,283	$52,727	11.5%	$175,600
Clintonville	4,580	$53,304	16.7%	$112,000
Weyauwega	1,789	$66,625	10.6%	$152,100
King	1,399	$84,183	7.7%	$145,900
Manawa	1,337	$88,393	10.7%	$159,400
Iola	1,286	$44,735	13.7%	$164,200
Marion	1,238	$60,521	19.6%	$104,200
Chain O' Lakes	908	$83,194	3.7%	$640,000
Fremont	650	$68,750	13.1%	$235,300
Scandinavia	379	$59,375	4.2%	$165,900
Northport	373	$92,292	7.8%	$227,500
Embarrass	284	$58,750	6.9%	$135,000
Ogdensburg	189	$59,479	11.7%	$96,700
Big Falls	134	N/A	3.7%	$76,000

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

Waupaca County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 51,569. It is the 29th most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Waupaca County is 45.3 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Waupaca County is $72,830. This is 6% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.4%. This is 1% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 2.8%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $211,400. Housing costs are 21% lower than the state median of $266,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Waupaca County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Waupaca County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.9%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.9%) is well below the state average of 8.0%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.9%.

Education

20.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 39% 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 92.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Waupaca 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 Waupaca County, Wisconsin?

Waupaca County has a population of 51,569, making it the 29th most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Waupaca County?

The median household income in Waupaca County is $72,830 with a poverty rate of 10.4%.

How many cities are in Waupaca County, Wisconsin?

Waupaca County contains 14 Census-designated places.