Population 14,179 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rusk County
Household size in Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.27 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Rusk County are small: just 2.26 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 2.19 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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.9 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Rusk County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.8, 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 44.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Rusk County than nationally: 8.8%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Wisconsin. Compared with other Wisconsin counties, though, Rusk 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 Rusk County
Renters in Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.1% of households in Rusk County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 46.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.7 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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.6% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.0% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.4% of the housing in Rusk 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 is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Rusk County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1966 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $577 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $663 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $658 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $904 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$327 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Rusk County runs $904 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $327 a month from 2006–10, a 57% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the west; the highest are 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 Rusk County
Bachelor's degrees in Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Rusk County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 1.9 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Few Wisconsin counties have a lower share of college graduates: only five of 72.
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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.2% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Rusk County is above the national rate: 92.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Wisconsin. The share with a diploma has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Rusk County
| Period | Rusk County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Rusk County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Wisconsin as a whole (3.3%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.3 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Rusk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rusk County | 2.26 | 47.8 | 8.8% | 22.1% | 22.4% | 1978 | $904 | 16.8% | 92.6% | 5.1% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Forest County | 2.31 | 48.5 | 10.8% | 18.0% | 47.3% | 1979 | $592 | 16.2% | 90.5% | 2.8% |
| 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% |
| Menominee County | 2.25 | 49.0 | 10.2% | 19.3% | 20.8% | 1967 | $748 | 18.4% | 92.6% | 4.3% |
| Stevens County | 2.40 | 34.3 | 5.7% | 36.6% | 7.8% | 1969 | $956 | 32.2% | 93.5% | 1.8% |
| 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: Lyon County, IA · Piatt County, IL · Phillips County, KS · Phillips County, CO · Phillips County, AR · Phelps County, NE · Perry County, MO · Perry County, IL · Perquimans County, NC · Pickens County, AL
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 Rusk 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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