Vilas County, Wisconsin
Located in Wisconsin, Vilas County has a population of 23,647 residents and a median age of 55.7 years, making it the #1,707 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 11.1%. The median home value is $300,000, and the median household income is $68,431, which is 9% below the national median.
Demographics
Vilas County has a population of 23,647, making it the #1,707 most populous county in the US. The median age is 55.7 years, which is 43.2% 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 Vilas County is $68,431, ranking #1,306 out of 3,222 counties — 8.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 11.1% and unemployment stands at 4.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Vilas County is $300,000 (+6.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $847/mo and the homeownership rate is 84.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Vilas County, 30.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 8.2% below the national average, ranking #707 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Vilas County is 76.5 years. 16.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.1% of adults in Vilas County smoke , 35.1% are obese , and 24.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 27.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 18.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 19.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
16.6% of children in Vilas County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 9.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Vilas County is 84.5%. The mean commute time is 21.2 min, which is 23.1% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Vilas County voted Republican with a margin of 23.1%. The vote was 38% Dem / 61.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Vilas County, Wisconsin
Vilas County, Wisconsin has a total population of 23,647, making it the 1,707th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Vilas County is 55.7 years, which is 43.2% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Vilas County is $68,431, which ranks #1,306 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 8.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 11.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.0%.
The median home value in Vilas County is $300,000, 6.4% above the national median. Renters in Vilas County pay a median gross rent of $847 per month. The homeownership rate is 84.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Vilas County, 30.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 8.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.2 min.
Vilas County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 84.8% of the population, followed by American Indian (non-Hispanic) (8.1%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
All data for Vilas 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.