City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

DeForest, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for DeForest - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,853
Residents
$106,223
Median income
$337,500
Median home
$1,694
Median rent (state)

DeForest - the verdict

Nationally, DeForest sits in the 81st percentile for household income and the 68th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
68th
percentile, safety
📝 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: DeForest, WI

Wisconsin's DeForest is a small town, with 10,853 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. DeForest households earn a median of $106,223 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.1%. Typical homes in DeForest are valued around $337,500, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. Educational attainment runs 40.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 71.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 442 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 365% from five years earlier. DeForest reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 893.3 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,694 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wisconsin's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 93.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,853 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$106,223 /yr

Poverty 6.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does DeForest compare to other US cities?

Here's how DeForest stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 68% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Wisconsin alone, DeForest ranks #97 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares DeForest 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 is DeForest's strongest outlier among Wisconsin cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, DeForest ranks #24 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares DeForest only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#65 of 753
91st percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#24 of 761
94th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#76 of 754
90th percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#349 of 761
54th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#99 of 761
87th percentile in Wisconsin

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.

81stIncome percentile
68thSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 68th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

DeForest's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

DeForest's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
DeForest's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How DeForest's home value compares nationally

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

$337,500 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. DeForest $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - DeForest, WI DeForest, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not DeForest, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution DeForest, WI median $106,223/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%
DeForest, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for DeForest, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 40.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.9%

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

Population
10,853
Median Income
$106,223
Median Home Value
$337,500
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Labor force participation
71.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
40.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
893.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
80.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
812.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,000 residents11,000 residents12,000 residents13,000 residents14,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,822 residents 13,094 residents ▲ +21.0%
DeForest's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
442
housing units authorized
Single-Family
127
detached homes
Multifamily
315
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
40.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 95
2020 61
2021 110
2022 122
2023 176
2024 442

Permit volume increased 365% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.4%
Carpool
6.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
16.0%
Other
1.1%

Based on 5,970 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county DeForest sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,694/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Burlington
11,021 people
Holmen
11,027 people
Marinette
11,060 people
Monroe
10,568 people
Two Rivers
11,224 people
Waupun
11,244 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to DeForest's 10,853 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pleasanton, TX
10,854 people
Cleveland, MS
10,855 people
Boaz, AL
10,847 people
Maltby, WA
10,859 people
Oak Ridge, NJ
10,860 people
Canton, MS
10,863 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to DeForest's $106,223 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Holly Ridge, NC
$106,230 median income
Lambertville, NJ
$106,236 median income
Maple Park, IL
$106,250 median income
Hills and Dales, KY
$106,250 median income
Sorrento, LA
$106,250 median income
Rowley, MA
$106,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - DeForest, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition DeForest, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.5% 14.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.4% White 81.5% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 14.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How DeForest compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
DeForest (this city) 10,853 $106,223
Burlington 11,021 $81,658
Holmen 11,027 $77,083
Marinette 11,060 $57,461
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about DeForest, WI?

What is the population of DeForest, WI? +

DeForest, WI counts 10,853 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in DeForest, WI? +

Median annual household income in DeForest runs $106,223, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in DeForest? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for DeForest; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is DeForest, WI safe? +

DeForest has a total crime rate of 893.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in DeForest, WI? +

A typical home in DeForest is worth $337,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.