Rusk County, WI

County

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2024 Population
14,179
US Senator
Ron Johnson
Republican Party
US Senator
Tammy Baldwin
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
49.2
0.204% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
13.1%
4.98% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$59,944
2.78% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$163,400
7.5% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
6,119
0.923% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Rusk County, WI reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.5% of the residents in Rusk County, WI are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Rusk County, WI was $163,400, and the homeownership rate was 77.9%.

Most people in Rusk County, WI drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Rusk County, WI was 2 cars per household.

United StatesWisconsin

Population & Diversity

Rusk County, WI is home to a population of 14.2k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.09% of Rusk County, WI residents were born outside of the country (155 people).

In 2024, there were 58.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (13.2k people) in Rusk County, WI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 225 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 172 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%
2024 Citizenship
99.7%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.5% of Rusk County, WI residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Rusk County, WI was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rusk County, WI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rusk County, WI
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    13.2k ± 53
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    225 ± 37
  3. Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
    172 ± 54
2.09%
Hispanic Population
296 people

In 2024, there were 58.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (13.2k people) in Rusk County, WI than any other race or ethnicity. There were 225 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 172 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

2.09% of the people in Rusk County, WI are hispanic (296 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Rusk County, WI as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Wisconsin.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    89,915 ± 7,306 people
  2. India
    21,992 ± 3,634 people
  3. China
    14,287 ± 2,931 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Wisconsin was Mexico, the natal country of 89,915 Wisconsin residents, followed by India with 21,992 and China with 14,287.

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Foreign-Born Population

1.09%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
155 people
0.891%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
126 people

As of 2024, 1.09% of Rusk County, WI residents (155 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rusk County, WI was 0.891%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rusk County, WI compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    368 ± 71
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    186 ± 67
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    171 ± 54

Rusk County, WI has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.98 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Rusk County, WI.

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Economy

The economy of Rusk County, WI employs 6.12k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Rusk County, WI were Manufacturing (1,514 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (811 people), and Retail Trade (751 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($62,500), Information ($60,859), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,618).

Employment

Occupations

6.12k
2024 Value
± 287
−0.923%
1 Year decline
± 6.78%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rusk County, WI declined at a rate of −0.923%, from 6.18k employees to 6.12k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rusk County, WI, are Production Occupations (989 people), Management Occupations (591 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (479 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rusk County, WI.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Wisconsin (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

6.12k
2024 Value
± 287
−0.923%
1 Year decline
± 6.78%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Rusk County, WI declined at a rate of −0.923%, from 6.18k employees to 6.12k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rusk County, WI, are Manufacturing (1,514 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (811 people), and Retail Trade (751 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rusk County, WI, though some of these residents may live in Rusk County, WI and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$50,124
Median earning men ± $2,538
$34,051
Median earning women ± $1,475

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,208), Information ($73,889), and Wholesale Trade ($60,625).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($53,571), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($47,708), and Public Administration ($46,429).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.
Y-Axis
1.6%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.95M people employed in Wisconsin. This represents a 1.6% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Wisconsin.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 30
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  2. 27
    Accommodation and Food Services
  3. 24
    Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $64.2k
    Manufacturing
  2. $30.7k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $18.4k
    Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Wisconsin went to Donald J. Trump with 49.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.518%).

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing the state of Wisconsin. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Wisconsin is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Rusk County, WI. Showing the available data for Wisconsin.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (49.6%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (48.7%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.518%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Wisconsin went to Donald J. Trump with 49.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.518%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Wisconsin for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Wisconsin

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Wisconsin.
Ron Johnson
Senator from Wisconsin3
Assumed office on January 3, 2011
Tammy Baldwin
Senator from Wisconsin1
Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are the senators currently representing Wisconsin.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Wisconsin over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Rusk County, WI was $163,400 in 2024, which is 0.491 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $152,000 to $163,400, a 7.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Rusk County, WI is 77.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Rusk County, WI have an average commute time of 26.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rusk County, WI is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rusk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.39%.

Housing

Property

$163,400
Median Property Value 2024
±$5,993
$4,948
Median Property Taxes
±$256

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rusk County, WI the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rusk County, WI compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

77.9%
Homeownership
2024
64%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 77.9% of the housing units in Rusk County, WI were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rusk County, WI compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$59,944
Median Household Income
± $2,781
6.36k
Number of Households
± 317

In 2024, the median household income of the 6.36k households in Rusk County, WI grew to $59,944 from the previous year's value of $58,322.

The following chart displays the households in Rusk County, WI distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rusk County, WI is from Wisconsin.
0.441
2023 Wage GINI in Wisconsin
0.443
2022 Wage GINI in Wisconsin

In 2023, the income inequality in Wisconsin was 0.441 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.492% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Wisconsin was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Wisconsin in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Wisconsin across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (77.5%)
  2. Carpooled (10.8%)
  3. Worked At Home (9.17%)

In 2024, 77.5% of workers in Rusk County, WI drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.8%) and those who worked at home (9.17%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

26.9 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rusk County, WI have a longer commute time (26.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 4.24% of the workforce in Rusk County, WI have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rusk County, WI compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rusk County, WI distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rusk County, WI have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rusk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.39%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

13.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rusk County, WI (1.83k out of 14k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rusk County, WI is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 20.8% of the children was living in poverty in Rusk County, WI. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 184 in Rusk County, WI. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 65.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.3% of the population of Rusk County, WI has health coverage, with 36.5% on employee plans, 22.2% on Medicaid, 18.9% on Medicare, 15% on non-group plans, and 1.8% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rusk County, WI see 2,018 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,018 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1419 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1414 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.5% were men and 48.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,018 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rusk County, WI

Primary care physicians in Rusk County, WI see an average of 2,018 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,018 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Rusk County, WI in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.2% under 18 years, 15.1% between 18 and 34 years, 38.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 25.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.5% were men and 48.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

5.68%
Uninsured
36.5%
Employer Coverage
22.2%
Medicaid
18.9%
Medicare
15%
Non-Group
1.8%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rusk County, WI declined by 11.4% from 6.4% to 5.68%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rusk County, WI changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2016, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 94.5 in Rusk County, WI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rusk County, WI.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.8% in Rusk County, WI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rusk County, WI.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.93% in Rusk County, WI.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rusk County, WI.

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