Oconto County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Oconto County, Wisconsin had an estimated 40,037 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,963, across 998 square miles. County output reached $1.35 bn in 2024, 781 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 34 7(a) approvals worth $21.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Oconto County
How many people live in Oconto County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202439,589
- Households16,811
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$75,049
- Median age47.5
- Median gross rent$791 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$231,400
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over29,450
- Population under 187,789
- Share under 1819.7 percent
- Population 65 and over8,975
- Share 65 and over22.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6422,825
- Civilian labor force19,912
- Unemployment rate2.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.6 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties38th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1218th of 3,222
Oconto County is the 38th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 22.7 percent against 19.7 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.
Oconto County
Is Oconto County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202440,037
- Census 2020 base population38,963
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.76 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024296
- Births, 2024343
- Deaths, 2024401
- Natural change, 2024-58
- Net domestic migration, 2024344
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 2024357
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,311
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents936th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.76 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.
Oconto County
Where are people moving to Oconto County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,127
- People arriving, from those returns1,941
- Tax returns filed by households leaving993
- Net household movement134
- Adjusted gross income arriving$79.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$21.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$70,875
- Average income of a leaving household$58,589
- Largest single originBrown County (469 households)
- Largest single destinationBrown County (369 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 469 | 821 | $32.7 m |
| Marinette County | 100 | 185 | $5.7 m |
| Outagamie County | 67 | 106 | $6.0 m |
| Shawano County | 65 | 127 | $3.5 m |
| Winnebago County | 29 | 49 | $2.3 m |
| Milwaukee County | 28 | 43 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $12,286 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 Brown 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.
Oconto County
What is the Oconto County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.35 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.29 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years26.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes47th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1595th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$34,138
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 26.0 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.
Oconto County
Employment by industry in Oconto County
- Covered employment, annual average9,125
- Establishments reporting932
- Average annual pay$46,685
- Average weekly wage$898
- Manufacturing, employment2,297
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,937
- Retail trade, employment931
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,936
- Accommodation and food services, employment822
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$16,013
- Construction, employment522
- Construction, average annual pay$54,248
- Transportation and warehousing, employment296
- Other services, except public administration, employment157
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,297 | 46 | $62,937 |
| Retail trade | 931 | 100 | $29,936 |
| Accommodation and food services | 822 | 97 | $16,013 |
| Construction | 522 | 110 | $54,248 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 296 | 50 | $48,943 |
| Other services, except public administration | 157 | 40 | $48,952 |
| Finance and insurance | 152 | 38 | $53,883 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 120 | 20 | $15,991 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,297 jobs, 25.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Oconto County
How many businesses are in Oconto County?
- Establishments, all industries781
- Employment at those establishments7,246
- Annual payroll$323.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.7
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.
Oconto County
Building permits in Oconto County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024189
- Declared construction value permitted$49.8 m
- Single family units authorized139
- Multifamily units authorized50
- Multifamily share of units26.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$263,231
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.2
Single-family homes are 73.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Oconto County
SBA loans in Oconto County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded34
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$626,068
- Median 7(a) approval$229,400
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,666,600
- Largest single approval$4,185,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)349
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer23.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter24
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals17.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (4)
- Most active lenderThe Stephenson National Bank and Trust (5)
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.3 m
- Average 504 approval$870,000
- Median 504 approval$720,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval4.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved4.8
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$25.6 m
The average approval of $626,068 sits well above the median of $229,400, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 23.5 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.
Oconto County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Oconto County
Do SBA loans in Oconto County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded10
- Paid in full10
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full10
- Status: Exempt from disclosure21
- Status: Cancelled2
- 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.
Oconto County
SBA lending by place in Oconto County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Sobieski, approvals10
- Little Suamico, approvals7
- Oconto Falls, approvals6
- Oconto, approvals5
- Lena, approvals2
- Townsend, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Sobieski | 10 | $1,893,100 |
| Little Suamico | 7 | $7,223,700 |
| Oconto Falls | 6 | $6,553,100 |
| Oconto | 5 | $2,195,000 |
| Lena | 2 | $797,000 |
| Townsend | 2 | $412,900 |
| Abrams | 1 | $1,472,000 |
| Gillett | 1 | $739,500 |
Sobieski accounts for 10 approvals against 7 in Little Suamico. 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.
Oconto County
How large is Oconto County?
- Land area998 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties14th of 72
- Width, east to west45 mi
- Height, north to south48.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land40
- 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.
Oconto County
Flood risk in Oconto County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Oconto County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550294
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Oconto 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 Oconto County (community 550294), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Oconto 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 Oconto 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 Oconto County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202439,589
- Households16,811
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$75,049
- Median age47.5
Common questions
Oconto County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Oconto County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 40,037 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 39,589, in 16,811 households, ranking 38th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Oconto County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.76 percent since the 2020 census base of 38,963, to 40,037 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 343 births against 401 deaths, with net migration of 357. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Oconto County?
$75,049. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,400, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $791 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Oconto County?
781 establishments, employing 7,246 people with an annual payroll of $323.5 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 Oconto County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,297 jobs, 25.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,125 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,685, or $898 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Oconto County?
34 7(a) approvals totaling $21.3 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $229,400, plus 5 504 approvals worth $4.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Oconto County?
189 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $49.8 m. Multifamily was 26.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Oconto 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 Oconto County come from?
The largest single origin is Brown County, with 469 households. Arriving households report an average income of $70,875 against $58,589 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Oconto 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 Oconto 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.
Oconto County
Cities and places in Oconto.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Oconto County. All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconto | city | 4,625 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Pulaski | village | 4,006 | None recorded | 13.0 percent here, 81.4 percent Brown County, 5.6 percent Shawano County |
| Oconto Falls | city | 3,001 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Gillett | city | 1,209 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lena | village | 483 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Suring | village | 411 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sobieski | CDP | 382 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Abrams | CDP | 278 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain | CDP | 250 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakewood | CDP | 182 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Townsend | CDP | 37 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 34 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Oconto County, the largest being Little Suamico (7). 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