City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Shell Lake, WI

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

1,513
Residents
$56,875
Median income
$207,100
Median home
$975
Median rent (state)

Shell Lake - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Shell Lake lands in the 30th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
18th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Shell Lake, WI

Shell Lake is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 1,513 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $56,875 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.7%. Typical homes in Shell Lake are valued around $207,100, and the median resident age is 45.0 years. 28.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 24 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 300% from five years earlier.

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 $975 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Shell Lake report an average commute of 17.1 minutes, with 71.3% driving alone and 12.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 32.8 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

1,513 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$56,875 /yr

Poverty 4.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Shell Lake compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 18% pricier than other cities

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

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 Shell Lake'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.

30thIncome percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Shell Lake's home value compares nationally

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

$207,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Shell Lake $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 - Shell Lake, WI Shell Lake, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shell Lake, 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 Shell Lake, WI median $56,875/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%
Shell Lake, 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 Shell Lake, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.8%

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

Population
1,513
Median Income
$56,875
Median Home Value
$207,100
Median Age
45.0
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Labor force participation
48.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.7%

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 →
1,340 residents1,360 residents1,380 residents1,400 residents1,420 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,362 residents 1,414 residents ▲ +3.8%
Shell Lake's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
24
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
18
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
15.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 3
2021 6
2022 8
2023 6
2024 24

Permit volume increased 300% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.1 minutes
Drive Alone
71.3%
Carpool
12.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
12.2%
Other
2.5%

Based on 564 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 Shell Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$975/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
32.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Eagle River
1,508 people
Cambridge
1,507 people
Fall Creek
1,502 people
Crandon
1,499 people
Spring Green
1,499 people
Elroy
1,529 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shell Lake's 1,513 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cedar Ridge, CA
1,513 people
Del Rey, CA
1,513 people
Parachute, CO
1,513 people
Mount Pulaski, IL
1,513 people
Serenada, TX
1,513 people
Coto Norte comunidad, PR
1,513 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shell Lake's $56,875 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Big Lagoon, CA
$56,875 median income
Yankeetown, FL
$56,875 median income
Parker City, IN
$56,875 median income
Williamsport, IN
$56,875 median income
Clarence, IA
$56,875 median income
Edgewood, IA
$56,875 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shell Lake, 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 Shell Lake, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.1% White 92.0% Black or African American 0.6% Asian 0.1% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 5.9% 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 Shell Lake 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
Shell Lake (this city) 1,513 $56,875
Eagle River 1,508 $52,027
Cambridge 1,507 $93,424
Fall Creek 1,502 $82,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shell Lake, WI?

What is the population of Shell Lake, WI? +

1,513 people live in Shell Lake, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Shell Lake, WI? +

Median annual household income in Shell Lake runs $56,875, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shell Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Shell Lake; 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.

What is the median home value in Shell Lake, WI? +

Shell Lake's median home value sits at $207,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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