Census tract · Lincoln County
Census Tract 9609, Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Census Tract 9609, GEOID 55069960900, in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, mostly within Merrill (98% of its census blocks). 2,512 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±320); the 2020 Census counted 2,637.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,512
±320 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,637
Median household income
$52,098
±$10,117 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $68,164
Median home value
$129,000
±$14,323 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $192,700
Median gross rent
$647
±$142 (90% margin)
Lincoln County: $755
Where is Census Tract 9609?
Census Tract 9609 is one of 10 census tracts in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. It covers 0.96 square miles of land, 2,753 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 55069960900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Merrill | 98% |
| Merrill (town) | 2% |
3 census tracts border Census Tract 9609: Tract 9607 ($79,744), Tract 9608 ($57,349) 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 9609?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9609's population at 2,512 (±320) in 1,249 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,637 residents and 1,315 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,512 ±320 | 9,356 |
| Households | 1,249 ±148 | 4,374 |
| Average household size | 1.96 ±0.16 | 2.08 |
| Housing units | 1,386 ±140 | 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 9609?
The median resident of Census Tract 9609 is 46.5 years old; 14.6% are under 18 and 26.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.0%.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 ±5.6 | 41.9 |
| Under 18 years | 14.6% ±3.1 pts | 17.8% |
| 65 years and over | 26.4% ±5.6 pts | 21.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3.3% ±3.2 pts | 4.0% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.7% ±4.7 pts | 91.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 0.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0% ±2.9 pts | 4.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 2.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±1.4 pts | 3.5% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.3% ±3.1 pts | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 16.8% ±5.8 pts | 14.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±3.1 pts | 4.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.8% ±4.1 pts | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.3% ±5.7 pts | 15.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2% ±3.1 pts | 6.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.3% ±5.8 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 9609 earn?
Half of the 1,249 households in Census Tract 9609 earn less than $52,098 a year (±$10,117), against $68,164 across Lincoln County: 9th highest of the county's 10 tracts with a reliable estimate. 13.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,098 ±$10,117 | $53,148 |
| Mean household income | $65,128 ±$8,366 | $67,624 |
| Per capita income | $32,581 ±$4,037 | $31,796 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.3% ±6.3 pts | 17.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.5% ±3.9 pts | 20.2% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.0% ±8.7 pts | 20.7% |
| Households with a computer | 87.9% ±6.2 pts | 91.7% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.8% ±5.0 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 9609?
Owners occupy 66.9% of Census Tract 9609's occupied homes and renters 33.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $129,000 by its owner (±$14,323). The median renter pays $647 a month including utilities, and 45.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $129,000 ±$14,323 | $123,800 |
| Median gross rent | $647 ±$142 | $771 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.8% ±20.2 pts | 43.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,059 ±$99 | $1,095 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.9% ±7.8 pts | 61.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.1% ±7.8 pts | 38.9% |
| Housing units | 1,386 ±140 | 4,650 |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.0% ±7.8 pts | 65.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 2.5% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.8% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 46.4% ±9.9 pts | 35.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.3% ±8.1 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 9609 get to work?
78.2% of Census Tract 9609's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 18.1 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.7% ±6.5 pts | 61.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% ±5.2 pts | 4.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 78.2% ±7.2 pts | 75.6% |
| Carpooled | 12.5% ±6.6 pts | 9.2% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% |
| Walked | 2.7% ±3.9 pts | 2.6% |
| Worked from home | 5.2% ±3.9 pts | 11.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.1 min ±4.3 | 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 9609 compare with the other tracts in Lincoln County?
Among Lincoln County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9609 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lincoln County | In Merrill |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6th of 10 | 5th of 5 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st of 10 | 1st of 5 |
| Median household income | 9th of 10 | 4th of 5 |
| Per capita income | 9th of 10 | 4th of 5 |
| Median home value | 9th of 10 | 4th of 5 |
| Median gross rent | 8th of 9 | 5th of 5 |
| Poverty rate | 4th of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9th of 10 | 4th of 5 |
| Median age | 7th of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
| Owner-occupied share | 8th of 10 | 3rd of 5 |
The tracts next to it on Lincoln County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9605 | 6th | $67,578±$10,808 |
| Tract 9602 | 7th | $60,469±$6,325 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9608 | 8th | $57,349±$6,238 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9609 | 9th | $52,098±$10,117 |
| 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 9609?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9609 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