Population 16,080 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ashland County
Household size in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Ashland County are small: just 2.31 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.27, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.2 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Ashland County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.2, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.0% of households in Ashland County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 6.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ashland County
Renters in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.7% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Ashland County rent their homes (26.6%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than four in ten owners (44.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.8 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.9% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Ashland County: 22.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +5 | +6 |
Ashland County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $555 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $582 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $633 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $742 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$186 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ashland County pays $742 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $186 a month from 2006–10, a 34% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 23.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ashland County
Bachelor's degrees in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.4% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Ashland County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.4%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.6 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ashland County: 95.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Ashland County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Wisconsin counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ashland County
| Period | Ashland County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ashland County runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ashland County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland County | 2.31 | 43.3 | 8.0% | 26.6% | 22.4% | 1969 | $742 | 25.4% | 95.7% | 3.8% |
| Bayfield County | 2.23 | 53.1 | 6.0% | 16.1% | 38.0% | 1980 | $871 | 34.5% | 95.9% | 3.6% |
| Iron County | 1.97 | 54.1 | 7.9% | 11.5% | 38.7% | 1968 | $673 | 25.9% | 95.1% | 2.4% |
| Gogebic County | 2.04 | 49.4 | 8.1% | 19.0% | 29.4% | 1953 | $652 | 22.2% | 95.8% | 6.8% |
| Aitkin County | 2.20 | 55.2 | 5.5% | 14.7% | 44.6% | 1982 | $1,018 | 20.3% | 94.6% | 5.8% |
| Marquette County | 2.26 | 40.5 | 6.9% | 30.4% | 13.2% | 1967 | $1,022 | 37.2% | 95.7% | 4.7% |
| Crow Wing County | 2.28 | 46.3 | 8.3% | 23.0% | 23.3% | 1986 | $1,039 | 29.2% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| Alger County | 2.20 | 49.8 | 5.7% | 13.7% | 41.9% | 1973 | $625 | 20.9% | 93.8% | 5.9% |
| Wadena County | 2.31 | 41.6 | 11.3% | 26.4% | 12.7% | 1974 | $790 | 20.1% | 92.6% | 5.5% |
| Otter Tail County | 2.41 | 45.9 | 6.5% | 20.5% | 24.5% | 1978 | $900 | 27.7% | 94.0% | 4.5% |
| Luce County | 2.13 | 45.6 | 10.4% | 17.4% | 31.2% | 1972 | $655 | 17.8% | 93.0% | 8.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Camden County, NC · Somerset County, MD · Socorro County, NM · Modoc County, CA · Gem County, ID · Sierra County, NM · Gates County, NC · Mono County, CA · Monroe County, AL · Monroe County, WV
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ashland County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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