Population 9,624 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ashland
Household size in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.20 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.27 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Ashland are small: just 2.28 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. Household size has crept up from 2.20 in 2006–10, 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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.0 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 41.0, the median age in Ashland is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the southwest.
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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Ashland (8.9%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Wisconsin. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 5.7 points, 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
Renters in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.4% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.2% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Ashland rent their homes (34.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About four in ten owners (40.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, 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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Ashland: 13.9% 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. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have a higher vacancy rate.
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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +6 |
Ashland is a place of older homes: half were built before 1962, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north. Only 14 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $548 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $597 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $693 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $828 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$280 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Ashland runs $828 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $280 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 25.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the southeast.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Ashland
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.6% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Ashland than nationally: 28.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.1% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ashland: 96.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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
| Period | Ashland | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Ashland than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 7.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 2.28 | 41.0 | 8.9% | 34.2% | 13.9% | 1962 | $828 | 28.6% | 96.2% | 3.8% |
| Barksdale | 2.70 | 38.0 | 8.9% | 15.7% | 16.5% | 1988 | $749 | 21.1% | 96.5% | 2.1% |
| Sanborn | 2.75 | 38.6 | 7.9% | 10.4% | 16.0% | 1986 | $818 | 22.8% | 97.2% | 1.9% |
| Ashland Junction | 2.42 | 46.8 | 4.3% | 8.5% | 16.5% | 1978 | $939 | 33.4% | 96.9% | 3.4% |
| Washburn | 2.24 | 50.0 | 6.4% | 22.4% | 16.8% | 1974 | $844 | 39.6% | 96.2% | 3.2% |
| Diaperville | 2.57 | 35.2 | 12.3% | 29.2% | 16.9% | 1991 | $465 | 13.7% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| Odanah | 2.57 | 35.2 | 12.3% | 29.2% | 16.9% | 1991 | $465 | 13.7% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| Moquah | 2.41 | 46.2 | 5.0% | 6.6% | 17.0% | 1977 | $1,009 | 30.3% | 97.2% | 3.6% |
| Minersville | 2.68 | 36.6 | 8.9% | 17.7% | 16.3% | 1988 | $685 | 18.7% | 96.5% | 3.2% |
| New Odanah | 2.57 | 35.2 | 12.3% | 29.2% | 16.9% | 1991 | $465 | 13.7% | 94.8% | 3.4% |
| Marengo | 2.67 | 36.6 | 6.6% | 14.3% | 16.7% | 1986 | $760 | 19.1% | 96.9% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Fort Salonga, NY · Glencoe, IL · Gladwin, MI · Toronto, OH · Richmond Heights, MO · Geneseo, IL · Wernersville, PA · Franklinville, NJ · Ripon, WI · Fort Scott, KS
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. 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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