Rusk County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Rusk County, Wisconsin had an estimated 14,168 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,191, across 914 square miles. County output reached $726.8 m in 2024, 321 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 22 7(a) approvals worth $9.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Rusk County
How many people live in Rusk County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,179
- Households6,355
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$59,944
- Median age49.2
- Median gross rent$874 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$163,400
- Home value to household income2.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,457
- Population under 182,834
- Share under 1820.0 percent
- Population 65 and over3,691
- Share 65 and over26.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,654
- Civilian labor force6,467
- Unemployment rate5.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.0 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties65th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2212th of 3,222
Rusk County is the 65th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 2.7 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.0 percent against 20.0 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.
Rusk County
Is Rusk County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,168
- Census 2020 base population14,191
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.16 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-84
- Births, 2024127
- Deaths, 2024183
- Natural change, 2024-56
- Net domestic migration, 2024-39
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 2024-26
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024248
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1902nd of 3,144
The county has lost 0.16 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Rusk County
Where are people moving to Rusk County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving406
- People arriving, from those returns732
- Tax returns filed by households leaving263
- Net household movement143
- Adjusted gross income arriving$26.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$14.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$64,466
- Average income of a leaving household$45,479
- Largest single originChippewa County (61 households)
- Largest single destinationBarron County (47 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa County | 61 | 123 | $5.3 m |
| Barron County | 55 | 100 | $2.5 m |
| Eau Claire County | 35 | 66 | $2.3 m |
| Price County | 20 | 33 | $841,000 |
Households arriving report $18,987 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 Chippewa 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.
Rusk County
What is the Rusk County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$726.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$707.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.7 percent
- GDP change over five years25.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes65th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2109th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$51,255
Output grew 2.7 percent in the latest year and 25.1 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.
Rusk County
Employment by industry in Rusk County
- Covered employment, annual average4,597
- Establishments reporting386
- Average annual pay$46,068
- Average weekly wage$886
- Manufacturing, employment1,308
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$52,918
- Retail trade, employment548
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,201
- Health care and social assistance, employment546
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,744
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment276
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$66,248
- Transportation and warehousing, employment154
- Construction, employment102
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,308 | 24 | $52,918 |
| Retail trade | 548 | 38 | $32,201 |
| Health care and social assistance | 546 | 68 | $48,744 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 276 | 14 | $66,248 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 154 | 19 | $53,687 |
| Construction | 102 | 28 | $55,656 |
| Other services, except public administration | 71 | 22 | $42,443 |
| Finance and insurance | 69 | 11 | $61,599 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,308 jobs, 28.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rusk County
How many businesses are in Rusk County?
- Establishments, all industries321
- Employment at those establishments4,275
- Annual payroll$184.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.6
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.
Rusk County
Building permits in Rusk County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202474
- Declared construction value permitted$26.7 m
- Single family units authorized72
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units2.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$361,452
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.6
Single-family homes are 97.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Rusk County
SBA loans in Rusk County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded22
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$413,186
- Median 7(a) approval$174,600
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$799,050
- Largest single approval$3,631,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)193
- Jobs per approval8.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals18
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer27.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter14
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderSecurity Financial Bank (12)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.6 m
- Average 504 approval$765,167
- Median 504 approval$506,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval9.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.9
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.7 m
The average approval of $413,186 sits well above the median of $174,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 27.3 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.
Rusk County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rusk County
Do SBA loans in Rusk County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full12
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full12
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 12 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.
Rusk County
SBA lending by place in Rusk County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Ladysmith, approvals10
- Conrath, approvals3
- Weyerhaeuser, approvals2
- Birchwood, approvals2
- Sheldon, approvals1
- Tony, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Ladysmith | 10 | $4,796,900 |
| Conrath | 3 | $685,000 |
| Weyerhaeuser | 2 | $593,500 |
| Birchwood | 2 | $239,200 |
| Sheldon | 1 | $800,000 |
| Tony | 1 | $800,000 |
| Glen Flora | 1 | $790,500 |
| Chetek | 1 | $288,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $97,000 |
Ladysmith accounts for 10 approvals against 3 in Conrath. 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.
Rusk County
How large is Rusk County?
- Land area914 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties18th of 72
- Width, east to west41.8 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land16
- Establishments per square mile0.35
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.
Rusk County
Flood risk in Rusk County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Rusk County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550602
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate30.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Rusk 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 Rusk County (community 550602), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Rusk 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. 30.0 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 Rusk 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 Rusk County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,179
- Households6,355
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$59,944
- Median age49.2
Common questions
Rusk County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rusk County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,168 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,179, in 6,355 households, ranking 65th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rusk County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.16 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,191, to 14,168 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 127 births against 183 deaths, with net migration of -26. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rusk County?
$59,944. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $163,400, which is 2.7 times income, and median gross rent is $874 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Rusk County?
321 establishments, employing 4,275 people with an annual payroll of $184.1 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 Rusk County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,308 jobs, 28.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,597 jobs at an average annual pay of $46,068, or $886 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rusk County?
22 7(a) approvals totaling $9.1 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $174,600, plus 6 504 approvals worth $4.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Rusk County?
74 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $26.7 m. Multifamily was 2.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rusk 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 Rusk County come from?
The largest single origin is Chippewa County, with 61 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,466 against $45,479 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Rusk 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 Rusk 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.
Rusk County
Cities and places in Rusk.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Rusk County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladysmith | city | 3,227 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Bruce | village | 900 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Hawkins | village | 322 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sheldon | village | 220 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Weyerhaeuser | village | 161 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Tony | village | 123 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Glen Flora | village | 89 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Conrath | village | 70 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Ingram | village | 44 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 22 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Rusk County, the largest being Birchwood (2), Chetek (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