by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Wisconsin is Waukesha County with an average household income of $132,680 as of 2022 and 412,591 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Waukesha County | 412,591 | $132,680 | $101,639 |
2 | Ozaukee County | 93,460 | $132,648 | $92,258 |
3 | St. Croix County | 96,763 | $116,715 | $97,950 |
4 | Dane County | 575,347 | $113,021 | $84,297 |
5 | Washington County | 138,168 | $109,392 | $91,915 |
6 | Outagamie County | 193,234 | $104,983 | $78,705 |
7 | Calumet County | 53,199 | $103,701 | $84,151 |
8 | Pierce County | 43,026 | $101,794 | $82,996 |
9 | Walworth County | 105,822 | $98,901 | $75,172 |
10 | Kenosha County | 167,488 | $96,154 | $76,583 |
11 | Columbia County | 58,091 | $95,895 | $79,271 |
12 | Brown County | 271,417 | $95,087 | $74,066 |
13 | Door County | 30,562 | $94,903 | $68,257 |
14 | Jefferson County | 85,743 | $94,400 | $77,018 |
15 | Racine County | 196,613 | $94,057 | $72,658 |
16 | Green County | 36,951 | $93,729 | $76,080 |
17 | Iowa County | 23,956 | $93,598 | $79,226 |
18 | Marathon County | 138,612 | $93,251 | $73,248 |
19 | Eau Claire County | 107,903 | $92,896 | $70,127 |
20 | La Crosse County | 120,486 | $92,644 | $68,731 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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