City · Wisconsin
Mellen, Wisconsin
Mellen, city, in Ashland County, Wisconsin. Mellen had 683 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 698 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 681 (±145). GEOID 5550700.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
683
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 698 · ACS 2020-2024: 681 ±145
Median household income
$41,875
±$5,132 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$78,100
±$12,811 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$594
±$124 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Mellen and what county is it in?
Mellen is a city in Ashland County, Wisconsin. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 371 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Mellen, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 683 people lived in Mellen on July 1, 2025, down 2.1% since 2020, while Wisconsin grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 698 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 681 (±145).
| Measure | Mellen | Ashland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 681 ±145 | 16,080 | no clear change |
| Households | 264 ±42 | 6,832 | −58 |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.45 | 2.27 | +0.61 |
| Housing units | 314 ±45 | 9,445 | −140 |
Mellen's population since 2000
From 845 in 2000 to 683 in 2025: down 19.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Mellen 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 Mellen?
The median resident of Mellen is 45.2 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 27.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.9%.
| Measure | Mellen | Ashland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.2 ±10.3 | 43.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.1% ±7.9 pts | 20.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.0% ±7.2 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Male | 42.0% ±5.6 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 3.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.2% ±3.0 pts | 81.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.7 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.5 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±1.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±3.0 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 16.4% ±4.1 pts | 15.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0% ±2.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.6% ±2.5 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.3% ±5.6 pts | 24.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7% ±2.0 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.3% ±5.7 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
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 Mellen earn?
Half of Mellen's 264 households earn less than $41,875 a year (±$5,132), against $62,462 in Ashland County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $38,630 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Mellen | Ashland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,875 ±$5,132 | $62,462 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,563 ±$13,700 | $76,270 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,965 ±$3,871 | $33,580 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.3% ±10.3 pts | 13.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 31.0% ±27.7 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.0% ±8.1 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.0% ±6.1 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 75.4% ±8.4 pts | 84.8% | – |
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 Mellen?
Owners occupy 79.9% of Mellen's occupied homes and renters 20.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $78,100 by its owner (±$12,811). The median renter pays $594 a month including utilities, and 39.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Mellen | Ashland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $78,100 ±$12,811 | $170,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $594 ±$124 | $721 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.6% ±21.1 pts | 31.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $969 ±$98 | $1,336 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.9% ±7.4 pts | 73.4% | +11.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.1% ±7.4 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Housing units | 314 ±45 | 9,445 | −140 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.6% ±14.1 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.8% ±7.1 pts | 77.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.3% ±4.4 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2% ±2.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 41.7% ±8.4 pts | 25.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.8% ±4.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
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 many new homes is Mellen building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Mellen in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.5 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Mellen work and get to work?
77.0% of Mellen's workers drive alone and 5.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.4 minutes.
| Measure | Mellen | Ashland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.5% ±7.8 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% ±5.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.0% ±7.9 pts | 73.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.6% ±3.5 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5% ±2.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Walked | 11.5% ±7.2 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.0% ±3.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.4 min ±2.4 | 17.8 min | −5.5 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 Mellen?
No census tract lies mostly in Mellen; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9506Ashland County | 1,530 | $65,781 |
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 Mellen) · Census block assignment files
How does Mellen compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Mellen is the 11,943rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 432nd-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Mellen 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 | 432nd | 608 |
Mellen's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Mellen 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 Mellen?
19 of the 57 figures for Mellen 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 Mellen 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' public schools in Mellen.