Ashland County, Wisconsin
Located in Wisconsin, Ashland County has a population of 16,080 residents and a median age of 43.1 years, making it the #2,093 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 13.4%. The median home value is $170,300, and the median household income is $62,462, which is 17% below the national median.
Demographics
Ashland County has a population of 16,080, making it the #2,093 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.1 years, which is 10.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ashland County is $62,462, ranking #1,850 out of 3,222 counties — 16.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 13.4% and unemployment stands at 3.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ashland County is $170,300 (-39.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $721/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ashland County, 24.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 27.2% below the national average, ranking #1,294 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ashland County is 74.0 years. 19.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.9% of adults in Ashland County smoke , 38.0% are obese , and 22.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 54.7 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 23.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.9% of children in Ashland County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 12.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ashland County is 72.8%. The mean commute time is 19.7 min, which is 28.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ashland County voted Democratic with a margin of 4.7%. The vote was 51.6% Dem / 46.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ashland County, Wisconsin
Ashland County, Wisconsin has a total population of 16,080, making it the 2,093rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ashland County is 43.1 years, which is 10.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ashland County is $62,462, which ranks #1,850 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 16.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 13.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.8%.
The median home value in Ashland County is $170,300, 39.6% below the national median. Renters in Ashland County pay a median gross rent of $721 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ashland County, 24.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 19.7 min.
Ashland County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 81.3% of the population, followed by American Indian (non-Hispanic) (9.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
All data for Ashland County, Wisconsin comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.