Monroe County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Monroe County, Wisconsin had an estimated 46,370 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,266, across 901 square miles. County output reached $3.01 bn in 2024, 967 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 43 7(a) approvals worth $12.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Monroe County
How many people live in Monroe County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202446,208
- Households18,301
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$69,467
- Median age39.7
- Median gross rent$914 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$210,000
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over31,202
- Population under 1811,724
- Share under 1825.4 percent
- Population 65 and over8,320
- Share 65 and over18.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6426,164
- Civilian labor force22,386
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.9 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties31st of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1076th of 3,222
Monroe County is the 31st largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.4 percent against 18.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Monroe County
Is Monroe County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202446,370
- Census 2020 base population46,266
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.22 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024177
- Births, 2024559
- Deaths, 2024490
- Natural change, 202469
- Net domestic migration, 202439
- Net international migration, 202471
- Total net migration, 2024110
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-269
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1748th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.22 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Monroe County
Where are people moving to Monroe County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,220
- People arriving, from those returns2,268
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,208
- Net household movement12
- Adjusted gross income arriving$65.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$53,477
- Average income of a leaving household$55,373
- Largest single originLa Crosse County (236 households)
- Largest single destinationLa Crosse County (231 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County | 236 | 430 | $12.1 m |
| Juneau County | 151 | 302 | $7.8 m |
| Vernon County | 57 | 130 | $3.4 m |
| Jackson County | 45 | 86 | $1.7 m |
| Dane County | 32 | 46 | $1.6 m |
| Wood County | 23 | 33 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $1,896 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is La Crosse 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.
Monroe County
What is the Monroe County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.01 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.93 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.7 percent
- GDP change over five years25.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes27th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes978th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,057
Output grew 2.7 percent in the latest year and 25.7 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.
Monroe County
Employment by industry in Monroe County
- Covered employment, annual average21,455
- Establishments reporting1,335
- Average annual pay$53,839
- Average weekly wage$1,035
- Manufacturing, employment4,052
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,031
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,370
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$52,215
- Retail trade, employment2,164
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,804
- Transportation and warehousing, employment2,098
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$64,913
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,635
- Construction, employment724
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 4,052 | 61 | $58,031 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,370 | 296 | $52,215 |
| Retail trade | 2,164 | 122 | $30,804 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,098 | 70 | $64,913 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,635 | 129 | $19,899 |
| Construction | 724 | 118 | $71,185 |
| Wholesale trade | 506 | 48 | $64,016 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 464 | 63 | $47,164 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,052 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Monroe County
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
- Establishments, all industries967
- Employment at those establishments16,790
- Annual payroll$960.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.9
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.
Monroe County
Building permits in Monroe County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024116
- Declared construction value permitted$31.0 m
- Single family units authorized96
- Multifamily units authorized20
- Multifamily share of units17.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$266,958
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.3
Single-family homes are 82.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Monroe County
SBA loans in Monroe County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded43
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$12.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$296,263
- Median 7(a) approval$180,000
- 10th percentile approval$26,000
- 90th percentile approval$546,200
- Largest single approval$3,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)297
- Jobs per approval6.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active17
- Distinct industries receiving approvals35
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter30
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countRV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (3)
- Most active lenderBank First, N.A. (14)
- 504 approvals recorded19
- 504 gross approval dollars$11.9 m
- Average 504 approval$625,474
- Median 504 approval$592,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval6.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.3
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (18)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$24.6 m
The average approval of $296,263 sits well above the median of $180,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 23.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Monroe County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Monroe County
Do SBA loans in Monroe County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure29
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 10 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.
Monroe County
SBA lending by place in Monroe County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Tomah, approvals25
- Sparta, approvals13
- Wilton, approvals2
- Cashton, approvals1
- Kendall, approvals1
- Oakdale, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Tomah | 25 | $9,341,500 |
| Sparta | 13 | $2,420,800 |
| Wilton | 2 | $402,000 |
| Cashton | 1 | $250,000 |
| Kendall | 1 | $229,400 |
| Oakdale | 1 | $95,600 |
Tomah accounts for 25 approvals against 13 in Sparta. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Monroe County
How large is Monroe County?
- Land area901 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties19th of 72
- Width, east to west32.9 mi
- Height, north to south29.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land51
- Establishments per square mile1.07
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.
Monroe County
Flood risk in Monroe County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Monroe County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550571
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book12
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Monroe 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 Monroe County (community 550571), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Monroe 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. 83.3 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202446,208
- Households18,301
- Average household size2.52
- Median household income$69,467
- Median age39.7
Common questions
Monroe County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Monroe County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 46,370 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 46,208, in 18,301 households, ranking 31st of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Monroe County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.22 percent since the 2020 census base of 46,266, to 46,370 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 559 births against 490 deaths, with net migration of 110. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Monroe County?
$69,467. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $210,000, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $914 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Monroe County?
967 establishments, employing 16,790 people with an annual payroll of $960.5 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 Monroe County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 4,052 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 21,455 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,839, or $1,035 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Monroe County?
43 7(a) approvals totaling $12.7 m since FY2020, across 17 lenders, with a median approval of $180,000, plus 19 504 approvals worth $11.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Monroe County?
116 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $31.0 m. Multifamily was 17.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Monroe 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 Monroe County come from?
The largest single origin is La Crosse County, with 236 households. Arriving households report an average income of $53,477 against $55,373 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Monroe 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 Monroe 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.
Monroe County
Cities and places in Monroe.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Monroe County. All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta | city | 9,950 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Tomah | city | 9,532 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Cashton | village | 1,281 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Rockland | village | 745 | None recorded | 10.5 percent here, 89.5 percent La Crosse County |
| Norwalk | village | 662 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wilton | village | 532 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Warrens | village | 438 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kendall | village | 379 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakdale | village | 321 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wyeville | village | 159 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cataract | CDP | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tunnel City | CDP | 105 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Melvina | village | 89 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby