City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Portage, WI

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

10,374
Residents
$62,785
Median income
$187,300
Median home
$1,195
Median rent (state)

Portage - the verdict

Nationally, Portage sits in the 40th percentile for household income and the 30th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

40th
percentile, household income
39th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
30th
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: Portage, WI

Portage is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 10,374 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Portage households earn a median of $62,785 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.0%. Portage's housing stock carries a median value of $187,300, and the median resident age is 36.8 years. Educational attainment runs 17.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 21 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 320% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2094.6 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

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). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,195 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wisconsin's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Portage report an average commute of 23.1 minutes, with 81.9% driving alone and 5.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 81.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

10,374 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$62,785 /yr

Poverty 9.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Portage compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 40% higher than other cities
Home value 39% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 30% 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, Portage ranks #177 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

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

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of Wisconsin's city distribution

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Portage ranks #213 - the 71st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Portage only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#467 of 753
38th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#215 of 761
70th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#354 of 754
53rd percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#213 of 761
71st percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#463 of 761
39th 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.

40thIncome percentile
30thSafety percentile

40th percentile nationally for median household income · 30th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Portage's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Portage'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 44 Avg. percentile National median
Portage'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 Portage's home value compares nationally

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

$187,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Portage $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 - Portage, WI Portage, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portage, 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 Portage, WI median $62,785/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%
Portage, 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 Portage, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.4%

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

Population
10,374
Median Income
$62,785
Median Home Value
$187,300
Median Age
36.8
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Labor force participation
58.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2094.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
80.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2014.4
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
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,500 residents10,000 residents10,500 residents11,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,585 residents 9,956 residents ▼ -5.9%
Portage's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
21
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 9
2021 5
2022 6
2023 9
2024 21

Permit volume increased 320% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.1 minutes
Drive Alone
81.9%
Carpool
8.2%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
5.0%
Other
2.0%

Based on 4,883 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 Portage sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,195/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

New Richmond
10,334 people
Hobart
10,418 people
Elkhorn
10,259 people
Monroe
10,568 people
Reedsburg
10,060 people
Sparta
9,921 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portage's 10,374 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Garden City, GA
10,375 people
Spanish Fort, AL
10,377 people
East Bakersfield, CA
10,377 people
Progress, FL
10,378 people
Wabash, IN
10,378 people
Versailles, KY
10,382 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portage's $62,785 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Grabill, IN
$62,788 median income
Fordoche, LA
$62,788 median income
Butler, TN
$62,788 median income
North Charleston, SC
$62,789 median income
Fort Polk South, LA
$62,790 median income
Mendon, IL
$62,778 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Portage, 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 Portage, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.2% White 87.1% Black or African American 5.3% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.0% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Portage 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
Portage (this city) 10,374 $62,785
New Richmond 10,334 $87,500
Hobart 10,418 $111,918
Elkhorn 10,259 $73,052
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portage, WI?

What is the population of Portage, WI? +

Portage, WI counts 10,374 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Portage, the typical household earns $62,785 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portage? +

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

Portage has a total crime rate of 2094.6 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Portage, WI? +

The median home value in Portage is $187,300, 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.