Portage County, Wisconsin
Located in Wisconsin, Portage County has a population of 70,832 residents and a median age of 38.0 years, making it the #782 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.1%. The median home value is $243,100, and the median household income is $76,070, which is 1% above the national median.
Demographics
Portage County has a population of 70,832, making it the #782 most populous county in the US. The median age is 38.0 years, which is 2.3% below 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 Portage County is $76,070, ranking #778 out of 3,222 counties — 1.2% above the national median. The poverty rate is 10.1% and unemployment stands at 3.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Portage County is $243,100 (-13.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $940/mo and the homeownership rate is 69.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Portage County, 34.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 1.0% above the national average, ranking #522 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Portage County is 79.3 years. 14.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.5% of adults in Portage County smoke , 36.0% are obese , and 27.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 12.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 12.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
10.4% of children in Portage County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 6.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Portage County is 72.6%. The mean commute time is 21.7 min, which is 21.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Portage County voted Democratic with a margin of 1.2%. The vote was 49.8% Dem / 48.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Portage County, Wisconsin
Portage County, Wisconsin has a total population of 70,832, making it the 782nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Portage County is 38.0 years, which is 2.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Portage County is $76,070, which ranks #778 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 1.2% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.2%.
The median home value in Portage County is $243,100, 13.8% below the national median. Renters in Portage County pay a median gross rent of $940 per month. The homeownership rate is 69.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Portage County, 34.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 1.0% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.7 min.
Portage County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 89.0% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.2%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
All data for Portage 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.