City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Oshkosh, WI

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

66,247
Residents
$61,929
Median income
$168,400
Median home
$1,149
Median rent (state)

Oshkosh - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Oshkosh places in the 38th percentile for household income and the 40th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

38th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
40th
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: Oshkosh, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 66,247 residents in Oshkosh, a small city within Wisconsin. Oshkosh households earn a median of $61,929 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.0%. Oshkosh's housing stock carries a median value of $168,400, and the median resident age is 34.2 years. Educational attainment runs 27.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 63.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 268 residential building permits were authorized in Oshkosh (Building Boom), up 605% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Oshkosh reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1683.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 46.6°F with 33.3 inches of precipitation per year and 39.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Wisconsin at 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,149 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Wisconsin, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 15.9 minutes, with 76.9% driving alone and 8.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 86.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

66,247 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$61,929 /yr

Poverty 7.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Oshkosh compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 38% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 40% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Wisconsin, Oshkosh ranks #157 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Oshkosh's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

38thIncome percentile
40thSafety percentile

38th percentile nationally for median household income · 40th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Oshkosh's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Oshkosh'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Oshkosh'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 Oshkosh's home value compares nationally

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

$168,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% 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%). 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. Oshkosh $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 - Oshkosh, WI Oshkosh, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Oshkosh, 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 Oshkosh, WI median $61,929/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%
Oshkosh, 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 Oshkosh, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.0%

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

Population
66,247
Median Income
$61,929
Median Home Value
$168,400
Median Age
34.2
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Labor force participation
63.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1683.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
231.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1451.6
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.6°F
Annual Precipitation
33.3"
Annual Snowfall
39.2"

Schools

Total Schools
23
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
65,500 residents66,000 residents66,500 residents67,000 residents67,500 residents68,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 66,935 residents 67,460 residents ▲ +0.8%
Oshkosh's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
268
housing units authorized
Single-Family
44
detached homes
Multifamily
224
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 38
2020 183
2021 516
2022 120
2023 124
2024 268

Permit volume increased 605% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.9 minutes
Drive Alone
76.9%
Carpool
8.2%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
3.5%
Work from Home
8.4%
Other
2.0%

Based on 34,043 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 Oshkosh sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,149/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Janesville
65,813 people
Eau Claire
69,274 people
Waukesha
70,779 people
West Allis
59,588 people
Appleton
74,873 people
Racine
77,155 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Oshkosh's 66,247 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Novi, MI
66,224 people
Conway, AR
66,288 people
Alpharetta, GA
66,355 people
Queen Creek, AZ
66,369 people
Union City, NJ
66,375 people
Sammamish, WA
66,375 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Oshkosh's $61,929 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Johnsonburg, PA
$61,926 median income
Caryville, TN
$61,932 median income
Wyatt, IN
$61,923 median income
Raceland, KY
$61,923 median income
Panaca, NV
$61,935 median income
East Milton, FL
$61,922 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Oshkosh, 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 Oshkosh, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 84.7% Black or African American 4.5% Asian 4.2% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 0.8% Two or more races 5.1% 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 Oshkosh 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
Oshkosh (this city) 66,247 $61,929
Janesville 65,813 $71,664
Eau Claire 69,274 $65,369
Waukesha 70,779 $81,651
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Oshkosh, WI?

What is the population of Oshkosh, WI? +

Oshkosh, WI counts 66,247 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Oshkosh runs $61,929, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Oshkosh? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Oshkosh; 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 Oshkosh, WI safe? +

Oshkosh has a total crime rate of 1683.4 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 Oshkosh, WI? +

Homes in Oshkosh carry a median value of $168,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Oshkosh? +

The average annual temperature in Oshkosh runs 46.6°F, 33.3 inches of precipitation, and 39.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.