Washburn County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Washburn County, Wisconsin had an estimated 16,982 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,629, across 797 square miles. County output reached $799.5 m in 2024, 499 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $13.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Washburn County
How many people live in Washburn County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,854
- Households7,566
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$63,441
- Median age52.7
- Median gross rent$795 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$226,100
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,807
- Population under 183,035
- Share under 1818.0 percent
- Population 65 and over4,734
- Share 65 and over28.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,085
- Civilian labor force7,656
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.4 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties60th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2047th of 3,222
Washburn County is the 60th 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 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.1 percent against 18.0 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.
Washburn County
Is Washburn County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,982
- Census 2020 base population16,629
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.12 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-14
- Births, 2024114
- Deaths, 2024254
- Natural change, 2024-140
- Net domestic migration, 2024118
- Net international migration, 20249
- Total net migration, 2024127
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024911
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1144th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.12 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Washburn County
Where are people moving to Washburn County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving575
- People arriving, from those returns1,020
- Tax returns filed by households leaving504
- Net household movement71
- Adjusted gross income arriving$44.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$11.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$76,666
- Average income of a leaving household$65,141
- Largest single originBarron County (96 households)
- Largest single destinationBarron County (89 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barron County | 96 | 173 | $7.4 m |
| Sawyer County | 44 | 87 | $2.4 m |
| St. Croix County | 32 | 55 | $3.6 m |
| Burnett County | 24 | 39 | $892,000 |
Households arriving report $11,525 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 Barron 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.
Washburn County
What is the Washburn County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$799.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$778.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.7 percent
- GDP change over five years28.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes60th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2026th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$47,439
Output grew 2.7 percent in the latest year and 28.4 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.
Washburn County
Employment by industry in Washburn County
- Covered employment, annual average5,523
- Establishments reporting611
- Average annual pay$44,282
- Average weekly wage$852
- Manufacturing, employment941
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$47,791
- Retail trade, employment763
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,666
- Accommodation and food services, employment594
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,006
- Construction, employment209
- Construction, average annual pay$46,648
- Transportation and warehousing, employment178
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment132
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 941 | 31 | $47,791 |
| Retail trade | 763 | 78 | $33,666 |
| Accommodation and food services | 594 | 64 | $20,006 |
| Construction | 209 | 72 | $46,648 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 178 | 15 | $42,482 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 132 | 28 | $60,371 |
| Finance and insurance | 128 | 26 | $52,503 |
| Wholesale trade | 90 | 21 | $67,625 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 941 jobs, 17.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Washburn County
How many businesses are in Washburn County?
- Establishments, all industries499
- Employment at those establishments4,261
- Annual payroll$186.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.6
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.
Washburn County
Building permits in Washburn County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024157
- Declared construction value permitted$35.7 m
- Single family units authorized137
- Multifamily units authorized20
- Multifamily share of units12.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$227,514
- Units authorized per 1,000 households20.8
Single-family homes are 87.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Washburn County
SBA loans in Washburn County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$13.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$761,788
- Median 7(a) approval$300,000
- Largest single approval$3,425,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)285
- Jobs per approval16.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active10
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer41.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals17.6 percent
- Most active lenderCCFBank National Association (5)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$3.4 m
- Average 504 approval$484,000
- Median 504 approval$283,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval5.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.6
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (4)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$16.3 m
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.
Washburn County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Washburn County
Do SBA loans in Washburn County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 7 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.
Washburn County
SBA lending by place in Washburn County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Minong, approvals4
- Sarona, approvals3
- Spooner, approvals3
- Shell Lake, approvals2
- Springbrook, approvals2
- Trego, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Minong | 4 | $6,863,700 |
| Sarona | 3 | $1,846,300 |
| Spooner | 3 | $1,788,800 |
| Shell Lake | 2 | $1,650,000 |
| Springbrook | 2 | $370,000 |
| Trego | 1 | $268,700 |
| Hayward | 1 | $150,000 |
| Stone Lake | 1 | $12,900 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Washburn County
How large is Washburn County?
- Land area797 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties30th of 72
- Width, east to west24.5 mi
- Height, north to south35.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land21
- Establishments per square mile0.63
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.
Washburn County
Flood risk in Washburn County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Washburn County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550606
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Washburn 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 Washburn County (community 550606), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Washburn 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 Washburn 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 Washburn County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,854
- Households7,566
- Average household size2.23
- Median household income$63,441
- Median age52.7
Common questions
Washburn County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Washburn County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,982 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,854, in 7,566 households, ranking 60th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Washburn County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.12 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,629, to 16,982 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 114 births against 254 deaths, with net migration of 127. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Washburn County?
$63,441. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $226,100, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $795 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Washburn County?
499 establishments, employing 4,261 people with an annual payroll of $186.8 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 Washburn County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 941 jobs, 17.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,523 jobs at an average annual pay of $44,282, or $852 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Washburn County?
17 7(a) approvals totaling $13.0 m since FY2020, across 10 lenders, with a median approval of $300,000, plus 7 504 approvals worth $3.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Washburn County?
157 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $35.7 m. Multifamily was 12.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Washburn 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 Washburn County come from?
The largest single origin is Barron County, with 96 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,666 against $65,141 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Washburn 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 Washburn 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.
Washburn County
Cities and places in Washburn.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Washburn County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spooner | city | 2,278 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Shell Lake | city | 1,459 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Minong | village | 678 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Birchwood | village | 451 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trego | CDP | 142 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Stone Lake | CDP | 127 | 1 | 81.2 percent here, 18.8 percent Sawyer County |
| Springbrook | CDP | 77 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 17 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Washburn County, the largest being Sarona (3), Hayward (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.
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