Population 70,832 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Portage County
Household size in Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Portage County are small: just 2.30 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 edged down from 2.39, mirroring the country.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.9 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Portage County are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.3, as it has nationally. Portage County is younger than at least four in five Wisconsin counties.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.5% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.2% of households in Portage County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Portage County
Renters in Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.9% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Portage County own their homes; 30.3% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. The picture is much the same across Wisconsin. Among homeowners, 44.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Portage County than nationally: 6.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Portage County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Wisconsin overall, where the median home dates to 1974. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the west.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $649 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $691 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $798 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $969 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$320 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Portage County pays $969 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $320 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the northwest.
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 Portage County
Bachelor's degrees in Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.7% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.2% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.6% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Portage County as nationally: 33.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.9 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Portage County: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Wisconsin. The share with a diploma has risen 3.4 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 Portage County
| Period | Portage County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Portage County has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.9 points, 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).
Portage 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage County | 2.30 | 40.2 | 8.2% | 30.3% | 6.5% | 1979 | $969 | 33.6% | 94.3% | 3.1% |
| Wood County | 2.31 | 43.8 | 10.0% | 27.4% | 8.0% | 1971 | $884 | 21.2% | 94.6% | 3.7% |
| Waupaca County | 2.24 | 45.2 | 9.6% | 24.7% | 11.8% | 1975 | $956 | 20.4% | 92.1% | 2.8% |
| Outagamie County | 2.47 | 39.9 | 8.5% | 28.5% | 4.2% | 1979 | $1,098 | 33.3% | 94.9% | 2.7% |
| Jackson County | 2.46 | 43.7 | 9.5% | 19.9% | 15.3% | 1979 | $827 | 15.8% | 92.1% | 5.2% |
| Brown County | 2.45 | 38.9 | 10.3% | 34.0% | 5.1% | 1982 | $1,091 | 33.6% | 93.6% | 2.6% |
| Kewaunee County | 2.47 | 45.1 | 7.5% | 13.5% | 9.9% | 1970 | $877 | 22.1% | 94.5% | 1.5% |
| Buffalo County | 2.33 | 46.8 | 8.3% | 22.5% | 11.7% | 1967 | $945 | 22.0% | 92.6% | 2.9% |
| Pepin County | 2.45 | 46.5 | 9.2% | 17.0% | 13.6% | 1972 | $892 | 22.8% | 93.9% | 3.1% |
| Goodhue County | 2.42 | 43.1 | 8.1% | 21.2% | 7.0% | 1973 | $1,060 | 27.9% | 93.3% | 3.7% |
| Manistee County | 2.28 | 49.9 | 7.2% | 14.2% | 30.4% | 1971 | $894 | 23.8% | 91.9% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lea County, NM · Somerset County, PA · Scioto County, OH · Ross County, OH · Riley County, KS · Raleigh County, WV · Putnam County, TN · Putnam County, FL · Pottawatomie County, OK · McKinley County, NM
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 Portage 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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