Pierce County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Pierce County, Wisconsin had an estimated 43,380 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 42,204, across 574 square miles. County output reached $1.54 bn in 2024, 788 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 53 7(a) approvals worth $21.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Pierce County
How many people live in Pierce County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202442,584
- Households15,867
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$92,109
- Median age38.8
- Median gross rent$1,044 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$333,700
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher33.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over27,710
- Population under 188,644
- Share under 1820.3 percent
- Population 65 and over7,137
- Share 65 and over16.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6426,803
- Civilian labor force23,988
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.7 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties35th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1154th of 3,222
Pierce County is the 35th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 20.3 percent against 16.8 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Pierce County
Is Pierce County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202443,380
- Census 2020 base population42,204
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.79 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024279
- Births, 2024421
- Deaths, 2024322
- Natural change, 202499
- Net domestic migration, 2024134
- Net international migration, 202446
- Total net migration, 2024180
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024822
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents929th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.79 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.
Pierce County
Where are people moving to Pierce County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,264
- People arriving, from those returns2,139
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,257
- Net household movement7
- Adjusted gross income arriving$88.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$6.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$70,369
- Average income of a leaving household$65,317
- Largest single originSt. Croix County (321 households)
- Largest single destinationSt. Croix County (336 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix County | 321 | 572 | $22.3 m |
| Washington County | 123 | 219 | $12.1 m |
| Dakota County | 109 | 187 | $7.4 m |
| Hennepin County | 69 | 107 | $4.2 m |
| Goodhue County | 63 | 100 | $5.0 m |
| Ramsey County | 62 | 105 | $5.6 m |
| Dunn County | 50 | 76 | $1.9 m |
| Eau Claire County | 30 | 42 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $5,052 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 St. Croix 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.
Pierce County
What is the Pierce County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.54 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.50 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.3 percent
- GDP change over five years25.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes44th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1493rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$36,273
Output grew 3.3 percent in the latest year and 25.2 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.
Pierce County
Employment by industry in Pierce County
- Covered employment, annual average10,512
- Establishments reporting1,024
- Average annual pay$47,483
- Average weekly wage$913
- Manufacturing, employment1,700
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$62,948
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,189
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,302
- Retail trade, employment1,054
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,516
- Health care and social assistance, employment799
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$39,246
- Construction, employment453
- Wholesale trade, employment360
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,700 | 57 | $62,948 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,189 | 105 | $19,302 |
| Retail trade | 1,054 | 89 | $29,516 |
| Health care and social assistance | 799 | 145 | $39,246 |
| Construction | 453 | 98 | $69,525 |
| Wholesale trade | 360 | 46 | $65,780 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 269 | 99 | $60,169 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 263 | 42 | $70,918 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,700 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Pierce County
How many businesses are in Pierce County?
- Establishments, all industries788
- Employment at those establishments7,134
- Annual payroll$323.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.5
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.
Pierce County
Building permits in Pierce County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024202
- Declared construction value permitted$65.9 m
- Single family units authorized196
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units3.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$326,190
- Units authorized per 1,000 households12.7
Single-family homes are 97.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Pierce County
SBA loans in Pierce County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded53
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$21.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$403,675
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$26,400
- 90th percentile approval$1,280,000
- Largest single approval$2,876,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)545
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals36
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter42
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals9.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Local (5)
- Most active lenderHiawatha National Bank (11)
- 504 approvals recorded34
- 504 gross approval dollars$28.9 m
- Average 504 approval$848,971
- Median 504 approval$338,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval9.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.0
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (22)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$50.3 m
The average approval of $403,675 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.1 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.
Pierce County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Pierce County
Do SBA loans in Pierce County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded23
- Paid in full21
- Charged off2
- Status: Paid in full21
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Charged off2
- Status: Exempt from disclosure25
Only 23 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.
Pierce County
SBA lending by place in Pierce County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- River Falls, approvals22
- Prescott, approvals8
- Spring Valley, approvals7
- Ellsworth, approvals5
- Maiden Rock, approvals4
- Hager City, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| River Falls | 22 | $8,728,000 |
| Prescott | 8 | $2,565,500 |
| Spring Valley | 7 | $4,140,000 |
| Ellsworth | 5 | $1,301,000 |
| Maiden Rock | 4 | $2,374,300 |
| Hager City | 3 | $382,000 |
| Plum City | 2 | $1,700,000 |
| Elsworth | 1 | $126,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $78,000 |
River Falls accounts for 22 approvals against 8 in Prescott. 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.
Pierce County
How large is Pierce County?
- Land area574 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties51st of 72
- Width, east to west32.8 mi
- Height, north to south22.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land74
- Establishments per square mile1.37
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.
Pierce County
Flood risk in Pierce County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Pierce County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 555571
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book9
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Pierce County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Pierce County (community 555571), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Pierce County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Pierce 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 Pierce County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202442,584
- Households15,867
- Average household size2.68
- Median household income$92,109
- Median age38.8
Common questions
Pierce County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Pierce County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 43,380 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 42,584, in 15,867 households, ranking 35th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Pierce County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.79 percent since the 2020 census base of 42,204, to 43,380 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 421 births against 322 deaths, with net migration of 180. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Pierce County?
$92,109. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $333,700, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,044 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Pierce County?
788 establishments, employing 7,134 people with an annual payroll of $323.4 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 Pierce County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,700 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,512 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,483, or $913 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Pierce County?
53 7(a) approvals totaling $21.4 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 34 504 approvals worth $28.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Pierce County?
202 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $65.9 m. Multifamily was 3.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Pierce County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 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 Pierce County come from?
The largest single origin is St. Croix County, with 321 households. Arriving households report an average income of $70,369 against $65,317 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Pierce 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 Pierce 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.
Pierce County
Cities and places in Pierce.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Pierce County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Falls | city | 16,719 | 22 | 55.4 percent here, 44.6 percent St. Croix County |
| Prescott | city | 4,503 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Ellsworth | village | 3,349 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Spring Valley | village | 1,290 | 7 | 74.1 percent here, 25.9 percent St. Croix County |
| Elmwood | village | 629 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Plum City | village | 541 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bay City | village | 327 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Hager City | CDP | 243 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Diamond Bluff | CDP | 192 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Maiden Rock | village | 85 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 53 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Pierce County, the largest being Elsworth (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.