Portage County, WI

County

Add Comparison

2022 Population

70,281

0.138% 1-year decline

US Senator

Ron Johnson

Republican Party

US Senator

Tammy Baldwin

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

37.8

0.532% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

10.4%

1.49% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$71,301

8.77% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$214,700

16.1% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

37,680

0.32% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Portage County, WI had a population of 70.3k people with a median age of 37.8 and a median household income of $71,301. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Portage County, WI declined from 70,378 to 70,281, a −0.138% decrease and its median household income grew from $65,550 to $71,301, a 8.77% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Portage County, WI are White (Non-Hispanic) (90%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.9%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.17%), Other (Hispanic) (1.43%), and White (Hispanic) (1.31%).

None of the households in Portage County, WI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Portage County, WI are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Portage County, WI are University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1,894 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Portage County, WI was $214,700, and the homeownership rate was 69.7%.

Most people in Portage County, WI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Portage County, WI was 2 cars per household.

Portage County, WI borders Adams County, WI, Marathon County, WI, Shawano County, WI, Waupaca County, WI, Waushara County, WI, and Wood County, WI.

United States Wisconsin Stevens Point, WI

Population & Diversity

Portage County, WI is home to a population of 70.3k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2022, 3.7% of Portage County, WI residents were born outside of the country (2.6k people).

In 2022, there were 31 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (63.3k people) in Portage County, WI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.04k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 1.53k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2022 Citizenship

98%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 98.2% of Portage County, WI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Portage County, WI was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Portage County, WI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Portage County, WI

White (Non-Hispanic)
63.3k ± 226
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
2.04k ± 255
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.53k ± 324

3.63%

Hispanic Population

2.55k people

3.63% of the people in Portage County, WI are hispanic (2.55k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Portage County, WI as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Wisconsin.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
84,791 ± 7,097 people
India
23,051 ± 3,720 people
China
15,381 ± 3,041 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Wisconsin was Mexico, the natal country of 84,791 Wisconsin residents, followed by India with 23,051 and China with 15,381.

Foreign-Born Population

3.7%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.6k people

3.81%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

2.68k people

As of 2022, 3.7% of Portage County, WI residents (2.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Portage County, WI was 3.81%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Portage County, WI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,744 ± 223
Gulf War (2001-)
670 ± 167
Gulf War (1990s)
558 ± 140

Portage County, WI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.6 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Portage County, WI employs 37.7k people. The largest industries in Portage County, WI are Manufacturing (5,776 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,934 people), and Retail Trade (4,161 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($63,214), Finance & Insurance ($62,340), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,517).

Males in Wisconsin have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $58,062. The income inequality in Wisconsin (measured using the Gini index) is 0.443, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

37.7k

2022 Value

± 1,232

−0.32%

1 Year decline

± 4.6%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Portage County, WI declined at a rate of −0.32%, from 37.8k employees to 37.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Portage County, WI, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,093 people), Management Occupations (3,751 people), and Production Occupations (3,215 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Portage County, WI.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Wisconsin (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

37.7k

2022 Value

± 1,232

−0.32%

1 Year decline

± 4.6%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Portage County, WI declined at a rate of −0.32%, from 37.8k employees to 37.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Portage County, WI, are Manufacturing (5,776 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,934 people), and Retail Trade (4,161 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Portage County, WI, though some of these residents may live in Portage County, WI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,632

Median earning men ± $2,708

$33,809

Median earning women ± $1,534

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,969), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($62,480), and Public Administration ($61,523).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($56,000), Public Administration ($51,154), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($47,840).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.

Y-Axis

1.6%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.95M people employed in Wisconsin. This represents a 1.6% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Wisconsin.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

112
Other Services (except Public Administration)
99
Health Care and Social Assistance
95
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$410k
Finance and Insurance
$286k
Manufacturing
$156k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Portage County, WI went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 50.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (47.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.58%).

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing the state of Wisconsin. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Wisconsin is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (50.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (47.5%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.58%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Portage County, WI for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Wisconsin

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.

Ron Johnson

Senator from Wisconsin

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Tammy Baldwin

Senator from Wisconsin

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing Wisconsin.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Wisconsin over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Wisconsin

Wisconsin is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Wisconsin have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Portage County, WI awarded 1,894 degrees. The student population of Portage County, WI in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 3,315 male students and 4,649 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Portage County, WI are White (1,685 and 90.2%), followed by Asian (58 and 3.1%), Hispanic or Latino (43 and 2.3%), and Two or More Races (40 and 2.14%).

The largest universities in Portage County, WI by number of degrees awarded are University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1,894 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Portage County, WI are General Business Administration & Management (147 and 7.76%), Elementary Education & Teaching (89 and 4.7%), and General Biological Sciences (86 and 4.54%).

The median tuition cost in Portage County, WI for a public four year colleges is $6,698 for in-state students and $15,402 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Portage County, WI, the percentage of applicants admitted was 89.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 7,964 (41.6% men and 58.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 7,964 students enrolled in Portage County, WI, 41.6% men and 58.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,851 records, of which 58.6% were women and 41.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
96 degrees awarded
Elementary Education & Teaching
89 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
86 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Portage County, WI was General Business Administration & Management with 96 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Portage County, WI according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,894 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with 1,894 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 733 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Portage County, WI, which is 0.631 times less than the 1,161 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,685 degrees mean that there were 29.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 58 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($6,698) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,678) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.

Measure

In 2022, 0.697% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.597% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.41M), Some college (1.02M), and Bachelors Degree (921k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Portage County, WI was $214,700 in 2022, which is 0.762 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $184,900 to $214,700, a 16.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Portage County, WI is 69.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Portage County, WI have an average commute time of 19.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Portage County, WI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Portage County, WI is $71,301. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Portage County, WI was Census Tract 9605 with a value of $97,903, followed by Census Tract 9602 and Census Tract 9607.01, with respective values of $85,469 and $84,397.

In 2023, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Portage County, WI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.35%.

Housing

Property

$214,700

Median Property Value 2022

±$4,719

$20,442

Median Property Taxes

±$750

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Portage County, WI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Portage County, WI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

69.7%

Homeownership

2022

64.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 69.7% of the housing units in Portage County, WI were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Portage County, WI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9605
Census Tract 9602
Census Tract 9607.01

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Portage County, WI was Census Tract 9605 with a value of $97,903, followed by Census Tract 9602 and Census Tract 9607.01, with respective values of $85,469 and $84,397.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Portage County, WI colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$71,301

Median Household Income

± $2,422

29.3k

Number of Households

± 1,040

In 2022, the median household income of the 29.3k households in Portage County, WI grew to $71,301 from the previous year's value of $65,550.

The following chart displays the households in Portage County, WI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Portage County, WI is from Wisconsin.

0.443

2022 Wage GINI in Wisconsin

0.443

2021 Wage GINI in Wisconsin

In 2022, the income inequality in Wisconsin was 0.443 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.043% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Wisconsin was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Wisconsin in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Wisconsin across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (75.1%)
Worked At Home (11.2%)
Carpooled (8.04%)

In 2022, 75.1% of workers in Portage County, WI drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.2%) and those who carpooled to work (8.04%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Portage County, WI have a shorter commute time (19.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.86% of the workforce in Portage County, WI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Portage County, WI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Portage County, WI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Portage County, WI have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Portage County, WI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.35%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Portage County, WI (7.01k out of 67.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Portage County, WI is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 10.8% of the children was living in poverty in Portage County, WI. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.9% of the population of Portage County, WI has health coverage, with 57.4% on employee plans, 10.2% on Medicaid, 13.6% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 1.18% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Portage County, WI see 2152 patients per year on average, which represents a 5.74% decrease from the previous year (2283 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1382 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 750 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,152 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Portage County, WI

Primary care physicians in Portage County, WI see an average of 2,152 patients per year. This represents a 5.74% decrease from the previous year (2,283 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Portage County, WI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.8% under 18 years, 26% between 18 and 34 years, 35.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.14%

Uninsured

57.4%

Employer Coverage

10.2%

Medicaid

13.6%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

1.18%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Portage County, WI grew by 8.52% from 4.74% to 5.14%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Portage County, WI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 27.7 in Portage County, WI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Portage County, WI.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 32% in Portage County, WI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Portage County, WI.