Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 9606, Polk County, Wisconsin
Census Tract 9606, GEOID 55095960600, in Polk County, Wisconsin, mostly within Balsam Lake (town) (55% of its census blocks). 2,316 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±227); the 2020 Census counted 2,218.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,316
±227 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,218
Median household income
$73,438
±$10,181 (90% margin)
Polk County: $77,219
Median home value
$282,400
±$33,135 (90% margin)
Polk County: $271,900
Median gross rent
$1,030
±$152 (90% margin)
Polk County: $957
Where is Census Tract 9606?
Census Tract 9606 is one of 14 census tracts in Polk County, Wisconsin. It covers 29.62 square miles of land, 75 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 55095960600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Balsam Lake (town) | 55% |
| Balsam Lake | 33% |
| Milltown (town) | 7% |
| Apple River (town) | 3% |
| Georgetown (town), Polk County | 3% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 9606: Tract 9603.02 ($54,745), Tract 9603.03 ($92,143), Tract 9605 ($76,081), Tract 9607.01 ($66,309) and Tract 9609.01 ($95,060). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 9606?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9606's population at 2,316 (±227) in 989 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,218 residents and 1,723 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Balsam Lake (town) |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,316 ±227 | 1,509 |
| Households | 989 ±82 | 622 |
| Average household size | 2.29 ±0.17 | 2.43 |
| Housing units | 1,680 ±95 | 1,035 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 9606?
The median resident of Census Tract 9606 is 50.6 years old; 17.2% are under 18 and 27.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.8%.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Balsam Lake (town) |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6 ±6.6 | 54.8 |
| Under 18 years | 17.2% ±2.9 pts | 15.4% |
| 65 years and over | 27.7% ±3.9 pts | 28.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.8% ±1.4 pts | 2.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.4% ±2.0 pts | 92.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.2 pts | 1.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.1 pts | 2.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.1% ±0.9 pts | 2.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0% ±1.5 pts | 3.8% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±1.7 pts | 7.8% |
| With a disability | 16.8% ±3.6 pts | 17.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.3% ±1.6 pts | 3.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.9% ±2.7 pts | 92.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.6% ±3.2 pts | 21.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±1.9 pts | 8.7% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.1% ±2.6 pts | 93.4% |
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 Census Tract 9606 earn?
Half of the 989 households in Census Tract 9606 earn less than $73,438 a year (±$10,181), against $77,219 across Polk County: 10th highest of the county's 14 tracts with a reliable estimate. 7.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Balsam Lake (town) |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,438 ±$10,181 | $89,167 |
| Mean household income | $94,689 ±$7,967 | $114,090 |
| Per capita income | $41,954 ±$3,829 | $48,942 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.0% ±2.3 pts | 6.9% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.8% ±4.1 pts | 6.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.0% ±2.6 pts | 3.4% |
| Households with a computer | 93.6% ±3.0 pts | 96.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.7% ±3.3 pts | 93.1% |
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 Census Tract 9606?
Owners occupy 81.5% of Census Tract 9606's occupied homes and renters 18.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $282,400 by its owner (±$33,135). The median renter pays $1,030 a month including utilities, and 28.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Balsam Lake (town) |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $282,400 ±$33,135 | $309,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,030 ±$152 | $1,525 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.5% ±16.2 pts | 19.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,610 ±$138 | $1,734 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.5% ±5.6 pts | 89.4% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.5% ±5.6 pts | 10.6% |
| Housing units | 1,680 ±95 | 1,035 |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.9% ±2.7 pts | 89.0% |
| Mobile homes | 10.1% ±2.3 pts | 9.3% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.8% ±2.4 pts | 4.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.2% ±3.1 pts | 8.4% |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2% ±2.2 pts | 0.5% |
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 do people in Census Tract 9606 get to work?
71.6% of Census Tract 9606's workers drive alone and 18.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.7 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Balsam Lake (town) |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.8% ±4.5 pts | 57.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 71.6% ±5.4 pts | 78.2% |
| Carpooled | 6.4% ±3.0 pts | 3.9% |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 3.3% ±2.1 pts | 1.2% |
| Worked from home | 18.4% ±5.3 pts | 16.2% |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.7 min ±3.1 | 28.6 min |
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
How does Census Tract 9606 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9606 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County |
|---|---|
| Population | 10th of 14 |
| Residents per square mile | 5th of 14 |
| Median household income | 10th of 14 |
| Per capita income | 4th of 14 |
| Median home value | 6th of 14 |
| Median gross rent | 5th of 13 |
| Poverty rate | 7th of 14 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11th of 14 |
| Median age | 4th of 14 |
| Owner-occupied share | 8th of 14 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9605 | 7th | $76,081±$5,732 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9602 | 8th | $75,000±$5,052 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9608 | 9th | $73,828±$13,317 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9606 | 10th | $73,438±$10,181 |
| Tract 9601 | 11th | $68,833±$9,613 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9607.02 | 12th | $68,750±$13,600 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9607.01 | 13th | $66,309±$3,180 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 9606?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9606 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections