Town · Wisconsin
Town of Fairbanks, Wisconsin
Fairbanks (town), town, in Shawano County, Wisconsin. Fairbanks (town) had 533 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 538 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 438 (±78). GEOID 5511524775.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
533
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 538 · ACS 2020-2024: 438 ±78
Median household income
$55,417
±$16,104 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$168,800
±$20,479 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
not published
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Fairbanks (town) and what county is it in?
Fairbanks (town) is a town in Shawano County, Wisconsin. It covers 34.2 square miles of land, 16 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fairbanks (town) is in the Shawano, WI micropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fairbanks (town), and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 533 people lived in Fairbanks (town) on July 1, 2025, down 0.2% since 2020, while Wisconsin grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 538 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 438 (±78).
| Measure | Fairbanks (town) | Shawano County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 438±78 | 41,039 | no clear change |
| Households | 189±27 | 17,246 | −60 |
| Average household size | 2.32±0.31 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 237±37 | 20,670 | no clear change |
Fairbanks (town)'s population since 2000
From 687 in 2000 to 533 in 2025: down 22.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fairbanks (town) as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fairbanks (town)?
The median resident of Fairbanks (town) is 46.5 years old; 24.7% are under 18 and 25.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 98.2%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 0.9%.
| Measure | Fairbanks (town) | Shawano County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5±8.5 | 45.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.7%±7.1 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.3%±7.3 pts | 22.3% | – |
| Male | 57.8%±4.7 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 98.2%±1.5 pts | 84.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.1 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0%±5.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0%±5.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.2%±2.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 15.5%±6.4 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.1%±3.9 pts | 6.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9%±2.9 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.3%±6.0 pts | 19.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.2%±2.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.5%±2.5 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5%±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fairbanks (town) earn?
Half of Fairbanks (town)'s 189 households earn less than $55,417 a year (±$16,104), against $66,479 in Shawano County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $58,971 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fairbanks (town) | Shawano County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,417±$16,104 | $66,479 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,706±$7,895 | $85,669 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,026±$3,708 | $36,614 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.1%±5.0 pts | 11.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.9%±10.8 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5%±5.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.7%±6.1 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.7%±5.8 pts | 85.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fairbanks (town)?
Owners occupy 94.7% of Fairbanks (town)'s occupied homes and renters 5.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $168,800 by its owner (±$20,479).
| Measure | Fairbanks (town) | Shawano County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $168,800±$20,479 | $194,000 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 0.0%±100.0 pts | 32.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,308±$156 | $1,363 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 94.7%±3.3 pts | 77.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 5.3%±3.3 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Housing units | 237±37 | 20,670 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±11.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±78.0 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 92.4%±6.3 pts | 78.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8%±6.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.1%±1.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.7%±8.7 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.7%±2.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Fairbanks (town) work and get to work?
76.8% of Fairbanks (town)'s workers drive alone and 12.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.6 minutes.
| Measure | Fairbanks (town) | Shawano County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.7%±8.0 pts | 60.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2%±3.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.8%±7.8 pts | 78.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.3%±5.0 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±11.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.1%±1.3 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.7%±7.3 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.6 min±8.1 | 22.8 min | +10.2 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fairbanks (town)?
No census tract lies mostly in Fairbanks (town); 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1007Shawano County | 3,216 | $61,250 |
| Tract 1008Shawano County | 4,460 | $63,239 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fairbanks (town)) · Census block assignment files
How does Fairbanks (town) compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fairbanks (town) is the 9,849th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 948th-most populous of 1,239 in Wisconsin.
Fairbanks (town) is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 948th | 1,239 |
Fairbanks (town)'s figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Fairbanks (town) with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fairbanks (town)?
21 of the 56 figures for Fairbanks (town) on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fairbanks (town) are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.