City · Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay, city, in Door County, Wisconsin. Sturgeon Bay had 9,917 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,646 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 9,806 (±87). GEOID 5577875.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
9,917
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,646 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,806 ±87
Median household income
$59,926
±$6,563 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$236,300
±$22,747 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,097
±$60 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Sturgeon Bay and what county is it in?
Sturgeon Bay is a city in Door County, Wisconsin. It covers 9.9 square miles of land, 975 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 Sturgeon Bay, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,917 people lived in Sturgeon Bay on July 1, 2025, up 2.7% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 9,646 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 9,806 (±87).
| Measure | Sturgeon Bay | Door County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,806 ±87 | 30,445 | +921 |
| Households | 5,160 ±305 | 14,986 | +790 |
| Average household size | 1.87 ±0.10 | 2.01 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,922 ±297 | 24,436 | +768 |
Sturgeon Bay's population since 2000
From 9,437 in 2000 to 9,917 in 2025: up 5.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sturgeon Bay 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 Sturgeon Bay?
The median resident of Sturgeon Bay is 45.8 years old; 16.2% are under 18 and 25.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.1%. 2.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Sturgeon Bay | Door County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 ±3.6 | 54.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.2% ±2.4 pts | 15.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.1% ±3.0 pts | 32.4% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±2.4 pts | 49.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.1% ±1.4 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.2% ±2.3 pts | 91.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.5 pts | 0.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±1.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8% ±1.2 pts | 3.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.2% ±1.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±2.1 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0% ±2.8 pts | 11.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.9% ±1.7 pts | 3.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.6% ±1.9 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.0% ±5.0 pts | 37.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.7% ±2.4 pts | 13.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.4% ±2.7 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.5% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 Sturgeon Bay earn?
Half of Sturgeon Bay's 5,160 households earn less than $59,926 a year (±$6,563), against $74,795 in Door County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 the median was $70,978 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $11,052 after inflation. 9.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sturgeon Bay | Door County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,926 ±$6,563 | $74,795 | −$11,052 |
| Mean household income | $81,391 ±$7,422 | $105,001 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,176 ±$3,697 | $51,577 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.2% ±3.4 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.6% ±6.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.3% ±4.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±2.2 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.6% ±3.4 pts | 89.3% | – |
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 Sturgeon Bay?
Owners occupy 60.4% of Sturgeon Bay's occupied homes and renters 39.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $236,300 by its owner (±$22,747). The median renter pays $1,097 a month including utilities, and 28.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sturgeon Bay | Door County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $236,300 ±$22,747 | $342,600 | +$55,388 |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 ±$60 | $1,086 | +$125 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.1% ±9.1 pts | 29.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,321 ±$171 | $1,696 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.4% ±5.7 pts | 78.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 39.6% ±5.7 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Housing units | 5,922 ±297 | 24,436 | +768 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.4% ±6.5 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.1% ±5.3 pts | 74.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.3% ±3.0 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±0.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.7% ±4.6 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.6% ±3.8 pts | 14.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.0% ±2.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 Sturgeon Bay building?
Builders took permits for 34 new housing units in Sturgeon Bay in 2025 (24 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 2 of 12 months), 3.4 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 Sturgeon Bay work and get to work?
76.5% of Sturgeon Bay's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.3 minutes.
| Measure | Sturgeon Bay | Door County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±4.0 pts | 57.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% ±2.2 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.5% ±5.0 pts | 75.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.2% ±3.0 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 3.4% ±1.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2% ±4.3 pts | 13.4% | +7.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.3 min ±1.7 | 16.9 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 Sturgeon Bay?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Sturgeon Bay, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $61,269 (Tract 1007) to $61,627 (Tract 1008).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1008Door County | 5,748 | $61,627 |
| Tract 1007Door County | 5,074 | $61,269 |
| Tract 1009Door County | 1,454 | $83,409 |
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 Sturgeon Bay) · Census block assignment files
How does Sturgeon Bay compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sturgeon Bay is the 3,239th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 101st-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Sturgeon Bay ranks 815th 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 | 101st | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 214th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 214th | 914 |
| Median household income | 815th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 452nd | 911 |
| Median home value | 603rd | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 311th | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 264th | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 526th | 914 |
| Median age | 411th | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 818th | 914 |
| Work from home | 382nd | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 907th | 914 |
Sturgeon Bay's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Sturgeon Bay 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 Sturgeon Bay?
10 of the 57 figures for Sturgeon Bay 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 Sturgeon Bay 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 Sturgeon Bay.