Census tract · Lincoln County
Census Tract 9608, Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Census Tract 9608, GEOID 55069960800, in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, mostly within Merrill (87% of its census blocks). 3,652 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±419); the 2020 Census counted 3,468.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,652
±419 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,468
Median household income
$57,349
±$6,238 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $68,164
Median home value
$119,600
±$13,669 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $192,700
Median gross rent
$872
±$90 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $755
Where is Census Tract 9608?
Census Tract 9608 is one of 10 census tracts in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. It covers 5.18 square miles of land, 670 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 55069960800, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Merrill | 87% |
| Merrill (town) | 6% |
| Scott (town), Lincoln County | 6% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 9608: Tract 9604 ($76,964), Tract 9606 ($91,004), Tract 9607 ($79,744), Tract 9609 ($52,098) and Tract 9610 ($48,846). 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 9608?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9608's population at 3,652 (±419) in 1,634 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,468 residents and 1,689 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,652 ±419 | 9,356 |
| Households | 1,634 ±137 | 4,374 |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.19 | 2.08 |
| Housing units | 1,663 ±139 | 4,650 |
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 9608?
The median resident of Census Tract 9608 is 35.4 years old; 20.4% are under 18 and 15.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.2%. 4.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.4 ±9.4 | 41.9 |
| Under 18 years | 20.4% ±3.6 pts | 17.8% |
| 65 years and over | 15.3% ±3.9 pts | 21.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.2% ±2.8 pts | 4.0% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.3% ±4.1 pts | 91.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.4% ±2.5 pts | 4.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 4.1% ±2.4 pts | 2.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.0% ±3.1 pts | 3.5% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.6% ±1.6 pts | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 11.1% ±3.5 pts | 14.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.9% ±1.9 pts | 4.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±3.8 pts | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.8% ±5.1 pts | 15.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.4% ±3.4 pts | 6.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.8% ±4.6 pts | 88.4% |
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 9608 earn?
Half of the 1,634 households in Census Tract 9608 earn less than $57,349 a year (±$6,238), against $68,164 across Lincoln County: 8th highest of the county's 10 tracts with a reliable estimate. 18.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,349 ±$6,238 | $53,148 |
| Mean household income | $70,185 ±$8,157 | $67,624 |
| Per capita income | $31,386 ±$2,990 | $31,796 |
| People below the poverty line | 18.9% ±6.2 pts | 17.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.9% ±16.9 pts | 20.2% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.1% ±7.6 pts | 20.7% |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±2.7 pts | 91.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.9% ±3.0 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 Census Tract 9608?
Owners occupy 64.3% of Census Tract 9608's occupied homes and renters 35.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,600 by its owner (±$13,669). The median renter pays $872 a month including utilities, and 37.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $119,600 ±$13,669 | $123,800 |
| Median gross rent | $872 ±$90 | $771 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.3% ±13.5 pts | 43.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,157 ±$272 | $1,095 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 64.3% ±8.3 pts | 61.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 35.7% ±8.3 pts | 38.9% |
| Housing units | 1,663 ±139 | 4,650 |
| Single-family detached homes | 61.8% ±7.4 pts | 65.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.8% ±3.7 pts | 2.5% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.8% ±4.4 pts | 3.8% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 40.0% ±8.2 pts | 35.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1% ±2.4 pts | 7.6% |
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 9608 get to work?
73.7% of Census Tract 9608's workers drive alone and 10.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9608 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.3% ±5.7 pts | 61.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% ±3.8 pts | 4.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 73.7% ±7.1 pts | 75.6% |
| Carpooled | 9.2% ±5.0 pts | 9.2% |
| Public transportation | 1.3% ±2.0 pts | 0.5% |
| Walked | 4.1% ±3.8 pts | 2.6% |
| Worked from home | 10.9% ±4.7 pts | 11.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min ±2.8 | 18.4 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 9608 compare with the other tracts in Lincoln County?
Among Lincoln County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9608 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lincoln County | In Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3rd of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
| Median household income | 8th of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
| Per capita income | 10th of 10 | 5th of 5 |
| Median home value | 10th of 10 | 5th of 5 |
| Median gross rent | 2nd of 9 | 1st of 5 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 10 | 2nd of 5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10th of 10 | 5th of 5 |
| Median age | 10th of 10 | 5th of 5 |
| Owner-occupied share | 9th of 10 | 4th of 5 |
The tracts next to it on Lincoln County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9604 | 5th | $76,964±$8,849 |
| Tract 9605 | 6th | $67,578±$10,808 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9602 | 7th | $60,469±$6,325 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9608 | 8th | $57,349±$6,238 |
| Tract 9609 | 9th | $52,098±$10,117 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9610 | 10th | $48,846±$19,181 · 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 9608?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9608 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