Population 16,925 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Merrill
Household size in Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.16 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Merrill are small: just 2.21 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. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the center.
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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.5 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.7 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.4 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Merrill skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Merrill as they are nationally: 10.7%, against 11.6%. Compared with other Wisconsin cities, Merrill 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 Merrill
Renters in Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Merrill own their homes; 25.3% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.1% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 5.7 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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Merrill is close to the national rate: 8.4% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Merrill has a higher vacancy rate than most Wisconsin cities.
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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1966 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Merrill is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center 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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $586 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $643 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $678 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $823 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$237 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Merrill costs $823 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $237 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.6% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the west and lowest 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 Merrill
Bachelor's degrees in Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Merrill: 18.8% 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 3.6 points, as it has nationally. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 13 have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Merrill have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Wisconsin. The share with a diploma has risen 4.3 points since 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 Merrill
| Period | Merrill | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Merrill runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.3 points, 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).
Merrill 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrill | 2.21 | 46.1 | 10.7% | 25.3% | 8.4% | 1968 | $823 | 18.8% | 92.6% | 3.4% |
| Brokaw | 2.66 | 47.8 | 5.2% | 7.6% | 5.1% | 1978 | $1,044 | 32.6% | 96.5% | 2.1% |
| Hamburg | 2.37 | 48.0 | 4.9% | 6.8% | 13.4% | 1976 | $777 | 17.6% | 90.6% | 3.3% |
| Doering | 2.36 | 50.1 | 4.2% | 8.9% | 11.5% | 1983 | $859 | 20.7% | 93.5% | 2.5% |
| Gleason | 2.26 | 49.9 | 6.2% | 15.2% | 21.5% | 1983 | $772 | 22.7% | 88.5% | 3.1% |
| Irma | 2.20 | 54.8 | 8.2% | 10.5% | 25.6% | 1981 | $805 | 22.7% | 95.4% | 1.1% |
| Nutterville | 2.55 | 44.9 | 4.6% | 16.6% | 10.5% | 1984 | $989 | 34.0% | 95.1% | 2.0% |
| Heafford Junction | 2.20 | 56.2 | 7.1% | 10.8% | 24.7% | 1983 | $748 | 23.2% | 96.9% | 0.8% |
| Dudley | 2.16 | 51.9 | 6.2% | 15.8% | 27.3% | 1980 | $771 | 23.7% | 89.7% | 2.4% |
| Wausau | 2.39 | 40.6 | 10.4% | 36.9% | 6.8% | 1967 | $1,022 | 31.3% | 92.9% | 4.3% |
| Marathon | 2.56 | 46.0 | 4.5% | 7.2% | 4.3% | 1978 | $966 | 25.6% | 95.4% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Zimmerman, MN · Bethlehem, GA · Bothell West, WA · Bridgeview, IL · Bridgeville, PA · Tanque Verde, AZ · Swansea, MA · Sunny Vista, CA · Summerfield, NC · Auburn, MA
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 Merrill. 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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