Lincoln County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Lincoln County, Wisconsin had an estimated 28,461 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 28,416, across 879 square miles. County output reached $1.74 bn in 2024, 686 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $12.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lincoln County
How many people live in Lincoln County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202428,426
- Households12,772
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$68,164
- Median age49.3
- Median gross rent$755 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$192,700
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over21,637
- Population under 185,065
- Share under 1817.8 percent
- Population 65 and over6,721
- Share 65 and over23.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6416,640
- Civilian labor force14,040
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.1 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties45th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1528th of 3,222
Lincoln County is the 45th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.6 percent against 17.8 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lincoln County
Is Lincoln County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202428,461
- Census 2020 base population28,416
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.16 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202431
- Births, 2024248
- Deaths, 2024377
- Natural change, 2024-129
- Net domestic migration, 2024106
- Net international migration, 202454
- Total net migration, 2024160
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024594
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1770th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.16 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lincoln County
Where are people moving to Lincoln County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving732
- People arriving, from those returns1,239
- Tax returns filed by households leaving673
- Net household movement59
- Adjusted gross income arriving$46.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,980
- Average income of a leaving household$56,750
- Largest single originMarathon County (180 households)
- Largest single destinationMarathon County (201 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County | 180 | 313 | $11.9 m |
| Oneida County | 77 | 129 | $3.9 m |
| Dane County | 24 | 31 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $6,230 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Marathon County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lincoln County
What is the Lincoln County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.74 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.74 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.3 percent
- GDP change over five years21.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes41st of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1395th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$61,369
Output grew 0.3 percent in the latest year and 21.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lincoln County
Employment by industry in Lincoln County
- Covered employment, annual average9,997
- Establishments reporting792
- Average annual pay$51,054
- Average weekly wage$982
- Manufacturing, employment2,197
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,427
- Retail trade, employment1,245
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,975
- Finance and insurance, employment868
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$78,963
- Health care and social assistance, employment867
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,666
- Accommodation and food services, employment862
- Transportation and warehousing, employment407
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,197 | 39 | $62,427 |
| Retail trade | 1,245 | 99 | $31,975 |
| Finance and insurance | 868 | 38 | $78,963 |
| Health care and social assistance | 867 | 153 | $51,666 |
| Accommodation and food services | 862 | 88 | $15,981 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 407 | 31 | $57,107 |
| Construction | 380 | 74 | $63,362 |
| Wholesale trade | 265 | 18 | $55,899 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,197 jobs, 22.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lincoln County
How many businesses are in Lincoln County?
- Establishments, all industries686
- Employment at those establishments8,854
- Annual payroll$440.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.1
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lincoln County
Building permits in Lincoln County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024143
- Declared construction value permitted$45.9 m
- Single family units authorized141
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units1.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$320,642
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.2
Single-family homes are 98.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lincoln County
SBA loans in Lincoln County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$841,820
- Median 7(a) approval$430,000
- Largest single approval$3,600,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)127
- Jobs per approval8.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals6.7 percent
- Most active lenderNicolet National Bank (5)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$8.3 m
- Average 504 approval$553,933
- Median 504 approval$426,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval6.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.5
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (15)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$20.9 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lincoln County
Do SBA loans in Lincoln County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
SBA lending by place in Lincoln County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Merrill, approvals7
- Tomahawk, approvals5
- Gleason, approvals2
- Irma, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Merrill | 7 | $9,558,000 |
| Tomahawk | 5 | $2,275,300 |
| Gleason | 2 | $364,000 |
| Irma | 1 | $430,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
How large is Lincoln County?
- Land area879 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties21st of 72
- Width, east to west30.2 mi
- Height, north to south30.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land32
- Establishments per square mile0.78
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lincoln County
Flood risk in Lincoln County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lincoln County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550585
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lincoln County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Lincoln County (community 550585), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lincoln County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Lincoln County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lincoln County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202428,426
- Households12,772
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$68,164
- Median age49.3
Common questions
Lincoln County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lincoln County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 28,461 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 28,426, in 12,772 households, ranking 45th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lincoln County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.16 percent since the 2020 census base of 28,416, to 28,461 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 248 births against 377 deaths, with net migration of 160. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lincoln County?
$68,164. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,700, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $755 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lincoln County?
686 establishments, employing 8,854 people with an annual payroll of $440.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Lincoln County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,197 jobs, 22.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,997 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,054, or $982 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $12.6 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $430,000, plus 15 504 approvals worth $8.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lincoln County?
143 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $45.9 m. Multifamily was 1.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lincoln County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lincoln County come from?
The largest single origin is Marathon County, with 180 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,980 against $56,750 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lincoln County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lincoln County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Lincoln County
Cities and places in Lincoln.
2 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lincoln County. All 2 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrill | city | 9,356 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Tomahawk | city | 3,395 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 15 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Lincoln County, the largest being Gleason (2), Irma (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby