Population 46,797 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Barron County
Household size in Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Barron County are small: just 2.36 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. The picture is much the same across Wisconsin.
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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.8 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Barron County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.2, mirroring the country.
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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Barron County (8.8%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Compared with other Wisconsin counties, though, Barron County has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Barron County
Renters in Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.6% of households in Barron County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (46.7%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is down 3.3 points from 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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.4% of the housing in Barron County, 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 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Barron County leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the north.
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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $646 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $676 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $724 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $928 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$283 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Barron County pays $928 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $283 a month from 2006–10, a 44% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the north.
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 Barron County
Bachelor's degrees in Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Barron County: 23.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southwest.
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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.2% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.0% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Barron County have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Wisconsin overall (93.3%). The share with a diploma is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Barron County
| Period | Barron County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Barron County has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Barron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barron County | 2.36 | 45.8 | 8.8% | 22.6% | 14.4% | 1975 | $928 | 23.5% | 91.6% | 2.8% |
| Polk County | 2.32 | 46.4 | 8.5% | 19.0% | 17.0% | 1982 | $997 | 24.3% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
| Rusk County | 2.26 | 47.8 | 8.8% | 22.1% | 22.4% | 1978 | $904 | 16.8% | 92.6% | 5.1% |
| Chisago County | 2.66 | 41.7 | 8.8% | 14.1% | 7.3% | 1990 | $1,252 | 24.8% | 96.0% | 4.3% |
| Isanti County | 2.62 | 40.8 | 10.4% | 16.3% | 6.3% | 1988 | $1,339 | 20.6% | 93.2% | 3.7% |
| Sherburne County | 2.85 | 37.8 | 10.5% | 16.8% | 6.3% | 1995 | $1,370 | 30.5% | 94.7% | 3.0% |
| Stearns County | 2.53 | 37.2 | 8.9% | 32.1% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,133 | 29.1% | 92.0% | 4.3% |
| Forest County | 2.31 | 48.5 | 10.8% | 18.0% | 47.3% | 1979 | $592 | 16.2% | 90.5% | 2.8% |
| Stevens County | 2.40 | 34.3 | 5.7% | 36.6% | 7.8% | 1969 | $956 | 32.2% | 93.5% | 1.8% |
| Menominee County | 2.25 | 49.0 | 10.2% | 19.3% | 20.8% | 1967 | $748 | 18.4% | 92.6% | 4.3% |
| Big Stone County | 2.32 | 47.6 | 4.4% | 20.3% | 27.9% | 1957 | $759 | 26.0% | 93.8% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hancock County, MS · Venango County, PA · Marinette County, WI · Vernon Parish, LA · Madison County, ID · Lincoln County, OR · Lenoir County, NC · Knox County, ME · Waldo County, ME · Camden County, GA
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 Barron 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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