Sawyer County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Sawyer County, Wisconsin had an estimated 18,835 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,075, across 1,257 square miles. County output reached $966.5 m in 2024, 627 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 43 7(a) approvals worth $29.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Sawyer County
How many people live in Sawyer County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,476
- Households8,810
- Average household size2.10
- Median household income$60,801
- Median age52.8
- Median gross rent$712 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$236,200
- Home value to household income3.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher27.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,286
- Population under 183,207
- Share under 1817.4 percent
- Population 65 and over5,271
- Share 65 and over28.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,998
- Civilian labor force8,276
- Unemployment rate6.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.2 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties56th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1963rd of 3,222
Sawyer County is the 56th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.9 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.5 percent against 17.4 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.
Sawyer County
Is Sawyer County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202418,835
- Census 2020 base population18,075
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.20 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024216
- Births, 2024142
- Deaths, 2024259
- Natural change, 2024-117
- Net domestic migration, 2024323
- Net international migration, 202411
- Total net migration, 2024334
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,113
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents654th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.20 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.
Sawyer County
Where are people moving to Sawyer County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving593
- People arriving, from those returns1,003
- Tax returns filed by households leaving447
- Net household movement146
- Adjusted gross income arriving$60.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$29.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$102,352
- Average income of a leaving household$69,430
- Largest single originWashburn County (53 households)
- Largest single destinationWashburn County (44 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washburn County | 53 | 95 | $2.7 m |
| Hennepin County | 26 | 37 | $3.0 m |
| Barron County | 25 | 40 | $1.5 m |
| Eau Claire County | 25 | 39 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $32,922 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 Washburn 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.
Sawyer County
What is the Sawyer County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$966.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$920.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.0 percent
- GDP change over five years31.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes54th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1871st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$52,311
Output grew 5.0 percent in the latest year and 31.7 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.
Sawyer County
Employment by industry in Sawyer County
- Covered employment, annual average7,250
- Establishments reporting701
- Average annual pay$48,406
- Average weekly wage$931
- Retail trade, employment1,177
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,763
- Accommodation and food services, employment885
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,119
- Manufacturing, employment658
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$71,162
- Construction, employment351
- Construction, average annual pay$50,284
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment173
- Finance and insurance, employment164
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,177 | 83 | $33,763 |
| Accommodation and food services | 885 | 104 | $24,119 |
| Manufacturing | 658 | 34 | $71,162 |
| Construction | 351 | 84 | $50,284 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 173 | 50 | $54,289 |
| Finance and insurance | 164 | 30 | $74,799 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 132 | 18 | $30,649 |
| Other services, except public administration | 118 | 28 | $40,789 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,177 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Sawyer County
How many businesses are in Sawyer County?
- Establishments, all industries627
- Employment at those establishments5,363
- Annual payroll$263.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.9
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.
Sawyer County
Building permits in Sawyer County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024220
- Declared construction value permitted$59.7 m
- Single family units authorized200
- Multifamily units authorized20
- Multifamily share of units9.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$271,313
- Units authorized per 1,000 households25.0
Single-family homes are 90.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Sawyer County
SBA loans in Sawyer County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded43
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$29.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$684,249
- Median 7(a) approval$400,000
- 10th percentile approval$122,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,467,940
- Largest single approval$4,340,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)572
- Jobs per approval13.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active18
- Distinct industries receiving approvals28
- Median 7(a) term180 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer41.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms18
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter18
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countRecreational Vehicle Dealers (5)
- Most active lenderFrandsen Bank and Trust (15)
- 504 approvals recorded15
- 504 gross approval dollars$6.2 m
- Average 504 approval$411,133
- Median 504 approval$350,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval4.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.2
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (15)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$35.6 m
The average approval of $684,249 sits well above the median of $400,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 41.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
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.
Sawyer County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Sawyer County
Do SBA loans in Sawyer County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full12
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full12
- Status: Exempt from disclosure24
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
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.
Sawyer County
SBA lending by place in Sawyer County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Hayward, approvals35
- Winter, approvals3
- Ojibwa, approvals3
- Stone Lake, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Hayward | 35 | $26,717,900 |
| Winter | 3 | $1,014,000 |
| Ojibwa | 3 | $875,600 |
| Stone Lake | 2 | $815,200 |
Hayward accounts for 35 approvals against 3 in Winter. 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.
Sawyer County
How large is Sawyer County?
- Land area1,257 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties5th of 72
- Width, east to west42 mi
- Height, north to south35.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land15
- Establishments per square mile0.50
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.
Sawyer County
Flood risk in Sawyer County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Sawyer County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550591
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Sawyer 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 Sawyer County (community 550591), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Sawyer 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. 80.0 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 Sawyer 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 Sawyer County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,476
- Households8,810
- Average household size2.10
- Median household income$60,801
- Median age52.8
Common questions
Sawyer County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Sawyer County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,835 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,476, in 8,810 households, ranking 56th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Sawyer County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.20 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,075, to 18,835 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 142 births against 259 deaths, with net migration of 334. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Sawyer County?
$60,801. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $236,200, which is 3.9 times income, and median gross rent is $712 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Sawyer County?
627 establishments, employing 5,363 people with an annual payroll of $263.7 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 Sawyer County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,177 jobs, 16.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 7,250 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,406, or $931 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Sawyer County?
43 7(a) approvals totaling $29.4 m since FY2020, across 18 lenders, with a median approval of $400,000, plus 15 504 approvals worth $6.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Sawyer County?
220 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $59.7 m. Multifamily was 9.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Sawyer 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 Sawyer County come from?
The largest single origin is Washburn County, with 53 households. Arriving households report an average income of $102,352 against $69,430 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Sawyer 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 Sawyer 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.
Sawyer County
Cities and places in Sawyer.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Sawyer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward | city | 2,555 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Little Round Lake | CDP | 1,295 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chief Lake | CDP | 660 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| New Post | CDP | 340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Winter | village | 285 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Reserve | CDP | 252 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Radisson | village | 234 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Exeland | village | 193 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stone Lake | CDP | 127 | 2 | 18.8 percent here, 81.2 percent Washburn County |
| Couderay | village | 118 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 43 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Sawyer County, the largest being Ojibwa (3). 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