Population 1,944 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merrimac
Household size in Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Merrimac is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Locally, though, the typical household here is bigger than in the Madison area overall, where it has 2.30 people.
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.3 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.9 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.9 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 47.9, Merrimac is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 46.3 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Merrimac: 7.1% of households, against 11.6% 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 Merrimac
Renters in Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.1% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Merrimac is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 11.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About four in ten owners (40.4%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally.
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 29.2% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.4% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Merrimac: 25.4% 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.
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Merrimac was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980).
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $655 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $784 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $944 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,069 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$414 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Merrimac costs $1,069 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 17.3% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Merrimac
Bachelor's degrees in Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.5% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.1% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Merrimac as nationally: 35.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Madison area (50.6%).
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.2% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.1% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Merrimac: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Madison area.
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 Merrimac
| Period | Merrimac | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Merrimac has been strong: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. The picture is much the same across the Madison area. 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).
Merrimac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimac | 2.40 | 47.9 | 7.1% | 11.1% | 25.4% | 1982 | $1,069 | 35.9% | 94.8% | 2.2% |
| Lake Wisconsin | 2.51 | 50.2 | 1.5% | 6.4% | 12.2% | 1995 | $1,384 | 52.4% | 99.4% | 1.5% |
| Okee | 2.35 | 47.9 | 4.1% | 8.2% | 17.5% | 1982 | $1,298 | 35.0% | 98.7% | 0.9% |
| Lodi | 2.28 | 48.5 | 3.7% | 13.6% | 15.0% | 1988 | $1,356 | 39.8% | 99.0% | 2.8% |
| Prairie Du Sac | 2.35 | 41.0 | 4.2% | 29.3% | 6.0% | 1984 | $1,238 | 39.9% | 95.5% | 0.9% |
| Roxbury | 2.66 | 50.7 | 7.2% | 10.0% | 10.7% | 1980 | $1,185 | 35.9% | 98.5% | 0.6% |
| Baraboo | 2.20 | 43.9 | 8.6% | 33.1% | 7.9% | 1972 | $989 | 26.1% | 93.0% | 2.5% |
| Sauk City | 2.37 | 42.4 | 4.3% | 22.2% | 5.9% | 1974 | $1,123 | 31.7% | 96.4% | 2.1% |
| North Freedom | 2.58 | 38.2 | 12.0% | 18.3% | 9.7% | 1962 | $894 | 19.3% | 93.6% | 1.3% |
| West Baraboo | 2.32 | 38.6 | 11.7% | 34.5% | 10.4% | 1985 | $1,059 | 32.4% | 93.9% | 1.6% |
| Dane | 2.68 | 39.7 | 4.3% | 23.2% | 1.5% | 1975 | $1,002 | 28.4% | 96.8% | 1.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Brinson, GA · Dayton, IN · Coyle, OK · Shelter Island, NY · Drexel, NC · Taylors Falls, MN · Cambria, WI · Thorp, WA · Elkhart, KS · Brogue, PA
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 Merrimac. 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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