City · Wisconsin
Spooner, Wisconsin
Spooner, city, in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Spooner had 2,531 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,477 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,278 (±216). GEOID 5575625.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,531
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,477 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,278 ±216
Median household income
$44,737
±$15,893 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$165,500
±$14,430 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$763
±$83 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Spooner and what county is it in?
Spooner is a city in Washburn County, Wisconsin. It covers 4.0 square miles of land, 614 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 Spooner, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,531 people lived in Spooner on July 1, 2025, up 2.0% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 2,477 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,278 (±216).
| Measure | Spooner | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,278 ±216 | 16,854 | −316 |
| Households | 1,086 ±124 | 7,566 | −186 |
| Average household size | 2.00 ±0.15 | 2.20 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,168 ±152 | 12,853 | −326 |
Spooner's population since 2000
From 2,653 in 2000 to 2,531 in 2025: down 4.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Spooner 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 Spooner?
The median resident of Spooner is 52.3 years old; 18.7% are under 18 and 26.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.3%.
| Measure | Spooner | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.3 ±4.6 | 52.7 | +8.1 |
| Under 18 years | 18.7% ±4.2 pts | 18.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.2% ±5.2 pts | 28.1% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±4.1 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.3% ±2.8 pts | 2.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.7% ±4.0 pts | 92.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.1% ±2.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.4% ±3.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.1% ±2.1 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 21.4% ±4.6 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.0% ±3.1 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.4% ±3.4 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.9% ±5.7 pts | 25.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.6% ±2.0 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.5% ±4.5 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.6% ±2.2 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 Spooner earn?
Half of Spooner's 1,086 households earn less than $44,737 a year (±$15,893), against $63,441 in Washburn County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $50,313 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Spooner | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,737 ±$15,893 | $63,441 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,473 ±$8,512 | $85,270 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,963 ±$3,978 | $38,951 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.6% ±5.6 pts | 11.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.2% ±14.4 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 22.5% ±6.7 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.3% ±5.2 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.3% ±5.2 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 Spooner?
Owners occupy 56.8% of Spooner's occupied homes and renters 43.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $165,500 by its owner (±$14,430). The median renter pays $763 a month including utilities, and 42.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Spooner | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $165,500 ±$14,430 | $226,100 | +$40,954 |
| Median gross rent | $763 ±$83 | $795 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.2% ±12.8 pts | 32.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,302 ±$66 | $1,373 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.8% ±7.1 pts | 82.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.2% ±7.1 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 1,168 ±152 | 12,853 | −326 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.1% ±6.4 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.1% ±2.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.0% ±5.8 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.1% ±4.7 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 Spooner building?
Builders took permits for 12 new housing units in Spooner in 2025 (12 in single-family houses), 4.7 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 Spooner work and get to work?
71.4% of Spooner's workers drive alone and 15.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.9%.
| Measure | Spooner | Washburn County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.9% ±6.3 pts | 53.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.9% ±3.5 pts | 3.9% | +5.2 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 71.4% ±8.4 pts | 74.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±5.4 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 4.2% ±2.8 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.3% ±6.7 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.0 min ±3.2 | 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 Spooner?
1 census tract lies mostly in Spooner, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9505.01Washburn County | 2,652 | $56,649 |
| Tract 9505.02Washburn County | 2,203 | $67,188 |
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 Spooner) · Census block assignment files
How does Spooner compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Spooner is the 6,868th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 238th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Spooner ranks 904th 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 | 238th | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 287th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 319th | 914 |
| Median household income | 904th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 857th | 911 |
| Median home value | 831st | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 737th | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 21st | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 599th | 914 |
| Median age | 142nd | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 849th | 914 |
| Work from home | 207th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 819th | 914 |
Spooner's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Spooner 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 Spooner?
14 of the 57 figures for Spooner 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 Spooner 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 Spooner.