City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Chetek, WI

Chetek's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

2,017
Residents
$59,554
Median income
$156,500
Median home
$1,097
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Chetek, WI - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Chetek.

Place dossier plate

Sheet WI-CHETEK-WI · Chetek, WI 2,017 pop · income 34th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-MID · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 2,017
  • INC-MID $59,554
  • COL-BELOW 94.1
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-LOWER 34th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ McDonald Chapel
  • HOME-LOW $156,500
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: McDonald Chapel, AL (+ $2 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Chetek

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Chetek on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Chetek on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,017.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $59,554. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Chetek - the verdict

Chetek ranks in the 34th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

34th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
29th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Chetek, WI

Chetek is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 2,017 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Chetek brings in $59,554 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.5%. Typical homes in Chetek are valued around $156,500, and the median resident age is 48.5 years. Educational attainment runs 17.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,097 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 59.1 out of 100 (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Chetek's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to schools and households to population change to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Chetek, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, local building permits, matched public-school count, commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Chetek?

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 2.6 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 10.5%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Chetek?

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Within Wisconsin, the closest population matches are Eagle (2,016 residents, $109,545 income); Schofield (2,020 residents, $65,478 income); Butler (2,003 residents, $55,577 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Middlebush, NJ (2,017 residents); Elida, OH (2,017 residents); Knightsen, CA (2,018 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

3. Schools and households

What does the education layer cover for Chetek?

The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.

The NCES join finds 4 public schools within the city match. 17.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.

See how the family ranking is built →

Question 4

Is Chetek growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -29 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -1.3% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 3 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.

See the national growth ranking →

Other supported questions

Why these stay compact

These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.

Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Chetek?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 81.3%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Drive alone
81.3%
Work from home
4.7%
Public transit
0.0%

City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 1,005 workers age 16+.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

2,017 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$59,554 /yr

Below median income · poverty 10.5% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

City profile score · Chetek, WI

42/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living B-
94.1 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Poverty rate F
10.5%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Household income F
$59,554

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share F
17.1%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Chetek profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Poverty rate, Household income, Bachelor's+ share. Cost of livingPoverty rateHousehold incomeBachelor's+ share 42 D
Chetek profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 68/100 (B-) · 94.1 index
  • Poverty rate: 38/100 (F) · 10.5%
  • Household income: 34/100 (F) · $59,554
  • Bachelor's+ share: 26/100 (F) · 17.1%

How does Chetek compare to other US cities?

Where Chetek sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 29% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Chetek against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Wisconsin only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Chetek near the bottom of Wisconsin's cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Chetek ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Chetek only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#523 of 753
31st percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 761
0th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#479 of 754
36th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#160 of 761
78th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#473 of 761
38th percentile in Wisconsin
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

34thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

34th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Chetek's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$156,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Chetek $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Chetek's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.6×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#4,661 of 15,516
More affordable than 70% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#4,126 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 2.6×, Chetek sits in the affordable band: national rank #4,661 of 15,516 and #4,126 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$59,554 Chetek, WI median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Chetek, WI Chetek, WI's median household income ($59,554) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Chetek, WI-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Chetek, WI median $59,554/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Chetek, WI median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Chetek, WI.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,017
Median Income
$59,554
Median Home Value
$156,500
Median Age
48.5
Poverty Rate
10.5%
Labor force participation
57.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.1%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

PEP vintage

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,140 residents2,160 residents2,180 residents2,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,181 residents 2,152 residents ▼ -1.3%
Chetek's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 2,181 residents
2021 2,157 residents
2022 2,174 residents
2023 2,193 residents
2024 2,171 residents
2025 2,152 residents

Housing Supply

BPS source

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 5
2021 7
2022 2
2023 5
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.3%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.5%
Work from Home
4.7%

Based on 1,005 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Wisconsin statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Wisconsin at $225 (electricity about $100 , water and sewer about $45 ).

These are Wisconsin statewide averages, not a meter reading for Chetek. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Wisconsin's BEA cost-of-living index is 94.1 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Chetek is $1,097/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Wisconsin statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 59.1 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Wisconsin statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Chetek sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Chetek compares to similar-size Wisconsin cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Chetek (this city) 2,017 $59,554
Eagle 2,016 $109,545
Schofield 2,020 $65,478
Butler 2,003 $55,577
NCES CCD Census BPS 2024
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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