City · Wisconsin
Shell Lake, Wisconsin
Shell Lake, city, in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Shell Lake had 1,414 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,371 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,459 (±182). GEOID 5573200.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,414
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,371 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,459 ±182
Median household income
$57,500
±$12,843 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$229,400
±$36,236 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$450
±$284 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Shell Lake and what county is it in?
Shell Lake is a city in Washburn County, Wisconsin. It covers 5.8 square miles of land, 235 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 Shell Lake, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,414 people lived in Shell Lake on July 1, 2025, up 3.6% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 1,371 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,459 (±182).
| Measure | Shell Lake | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,459 ±182 | 16,854 | no clear change |
| Households | 616 ±70 | 7,566 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.21 | 2.20 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 945 ±93 | 12,853 | no clear change |
Shell Lake's population since 2000
From 1,309 in 2000 to 1,414 in 2025: up 8.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Shell Lake 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 Shell Lake?
The median resident of Shell Lake is 49.8 years old; 22.1% are under 18 and 30.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.7%. 4.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Shell Lake | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 ±6.9 | 52.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.1% ±4.5 pts | 18.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 30.7% ±4.9 pts | 28.1% | – |
| Male | 43.0% ±3.7 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.9% ±2.4 pts | 92.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.7% ±2.2 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.5% ±2.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±0.9 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.9% ±2.7 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 20.3% ±4.6 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.0% ±3.1 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.0% ±5.8 pts | 25.5% | +7.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.3% ±2.6 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.2% ±4.0 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.1% ±1.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
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 Shell Lake earn?
Half of Shell Lake's 616 households earn less than $57,500 a year (±$12,843), against $63,441 in Washburn County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $46,953 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Shell Lake | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,500 ±$12,843 | $63,441 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $97,454 ±$17,958 | $85,270 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,316 ±$7,828 | $38,951 | +$11,431 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.9% ±2.5 pts | 11.5% | −11.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.5% ±2.0 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.4% ±4.1 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.1% ±5.1 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.8% ±5.4 pts | 86.8% | – |
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 Shell Lake?
Owners occupy 77.6% of Shell Lake's occupied homes and renters 22.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $229,400 by its owner (±$36,236). The median renter pays $450 a month including utilities, and 26.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Shell Lake | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $229,400 ±$36,236 | $226,100 | +$76,548 |
| Median gross rent | $450 ±$284 | $795 | −$352 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.0% ±11.2 pts | 32.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,219 ±$149 | $1,373 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.6% ±4.5 pts | 82.2% | +9.4 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.4% ±4.5 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 945 ±93 | 12,853 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.4% ±9.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.2% ±5.1 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% ±2.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.8% ±2.2 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.6% ±4.0 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.3% ±4.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
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 many new homes is Shell Lake building?
Builders took permits for 30 new housing units in Shell Lake in 2025 (12 in single-family houses), 21.2 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 Shell Lake work and get to work?
69.5% of Shell Lake's workers drive alone and 12.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.0 minutes.
| Measure | Shell Lake | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 48.2% ±4.7 pts | 53.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 69.5% ±8.1 pts | 74.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.6% ±6.8 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.3% ±5.5 pts | 12.6% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.0 min ±2.2 | 22.9 min | no clear change |
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 Shell Lake?
No census tract lies mostly in Shell Lake; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9506Washburn County | 4,710 | $67,813 |
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 Shell Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Shell Lake compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Shell Lake is the 8,942nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 316th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Shell Lake ranks 840th of 914 places in Wisconsin with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 316th | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 152nd | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 406th | 914 |
| Median household income | 840th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 496th | 911 |
| Median home value | 639th | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 821st | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 277th | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 298th | 914 |
| Median age | 243rd | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 594th | 914 |
| Work from home | 373rd | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 769th | 914 |
Shell Lake's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Shell Lake 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 Shell Lake?
15 of the 57 figures for Shell Lake 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 Shell Lake 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 Shell Lake.