Counties in Wisconsin by poverty rate

Menominee County had the highest poverty rate of 72 counties in 2016, at 27.2%. Calumet County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 11.6% and the figure for Wisconsin was 11.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest27.2Menominee County
Median11.672 counties
Wisconsin11.8History

Top 40 counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Menominee CountyMenominee County: 27.2 %27.2Milwaukee CountyMilwaukee County: 19.8 %19.8Grant CountyGrant County: 16.7 %16.7Vernon CountyVernon County: 16.5 %16.5Forest CountyForest County: 15.9 %15.9Sawyer CountySawyer County: 15.2 %15.2Ashland CountyAshland County: 14.5 %14.5Iron CountyIron County: 14.4 %14.4Juneau CountyJuneau County: 14.4 %14.4Waushara CountyWaushara County: 14.3 %14.3Crawford CountyCrawford County: 14.2 %14.2Langlade CountyLanglade County: 14.2 %14.2Adams CountyAdams County: 13.9 %13.9Burnett CountyBurnett County: 13.8 %13.8Clark CountyClark County: 13.8 %13.8Rusk CountyRusk County: 13.8 %13.8Douglas CountyDouglas County: 13.6 %13.6Racine CountyRacine County: 13.6 %13.6Richland CountyRichland County: 13.4 %13.4La Crosse CountyLa Crosse County: 13.3 %13.3Eau Claire CountyEau Claire County: 13.1 %13.1Kenosha CountyKenosha County: 13 %13Rock CountyRock County: 12.9 %12.9Washburn CountyWashburn County: 12.7 %12.7Vilas CountyVilas County: 12.6 %12.6Dunn CountyDunn County: 12.5 %12.5Bayfield CountyBayfield County: 12.4 %12.4Marinette CountyMarinette County: 12.4 %12.4Florence CountyFlorence County: 12.3 %12.3Marquette CountyMarquette County: 12 %12Monroe CountyMonroe County: 12 %12Shawano CountyShawano County: 11.9 %11.9Taylor CountyTaylor County: 11.8 %11.8Lafayette CountyLafayette County: 11.7 %11.7Winnebago CountyWinnebago County: 11.7 %11.7Green Lake CountyGreen Lake County: 11.6 %11.6Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 11.5 %11.5Pepin CountyPepin County: 11.5 %11.5Portage CountyPortage County: 11.5 %11.5Barron CountyBarron County: 11.3 %11.3
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Menominee County27.2-8 pts
2Milwaukee County19.8-0.5 pts
3Grant County16.7+2.7 pts
4Vernon County16.5+1.7 pts
5Forest County15.9+1.4 pts
6Sawyer County15.2-0.3 pts
7Ashland County14.5-2.7 pts
8Iron County14.4+1.4 pts
8Juneau County14.4-0.1 pts
10Waushara County14.3+2.5 pts
11Crawford County14.2-0.3 pts
11Langlade County14.2-0.2 pts
13Adams County13.9-3.5 pts
14Burnett County13.8+0.7 pts
14Clark County13.8-0.1 pts
14Rusk County13.8-0.2 pts
17Douglas County13.6-1.2 pts
17Racine County13.6+1.2 pts
19Richland County13.4-0.8 pts
20La Crosse County13.3-1.1 pts
21Eau Claire County13.1-0.5 pts
22Kenosha County13+0.3 pts
23Rock County12.9-1 pts
24Washburn County12.7-0.8 pts
25Vilas County12.6-0.8 pts
26Dunn County12.5-1 pts
27Bayfield County12.4+1.3 pts
27Marinette County12.4-0.3 pts
29Florence County12.3+0.1 pts
30Marquette County120 pts
30Monroe County12-0.8 pts
32Shawano County11.9+0.3 pts
33Taylor County11.8-0.6 pts
34Lafayette County11.7+1.2 pts
34Winnebago County11.7+0.4 pts
36Green Lake County11.6-0.6 pts
37Chippewa County11.5+0.7 pts
37Pepin County11.5+1.4 pts
37Portage County11.5-0.7 pts
40Barron County11.3+0.8 pts
41Walworth County11.2-1.2 pts
42Jackson County11.1-1.3 pts
42Price County11.1-1.9 pts
44Dane County10.9-0.3 pts
45Waupaca County10.70 pts
46Buffalo County10.5+0.3 pts
47Marathon County10.4+0.9 pts
48Sauk County10.1-1.6 pts
49Lincoln County10+0.2 pts
50Polk County9.9-0.2 pts
51Brown County9.8-1.3 pts
51Dodge County9.8+1.1 pts
51Wood County9.8-1.5 pts
54Oneida County9.6+0.1 pts
55Jefferson County9.3+0.1 pts
56Manitowoc County9.2-1.5 pts
57Oconto County9.1-0.6 pts
58Iowa County8.8-0.7 pts
59Door County8.3-0.2 pts
60Columbia County8.2-0.7 pts
60Green County8.2+0.7 pts
60Trempealeau County8.2-1.2 pts
63Pierce County8.1-1.7 pts
64Outagamie County8-1 pts
65Fond du Lac County7.7-1.7 pts
66Kewaunee County7.6-0.6 pts
67Sheboygan County7.1-1.9 pts
68St. Croix County5.6-0.1 pts
68Washington County5.6+0.3 pts
70Ozaukee County5.4+0.2 pts
71Waukesha County5.2+0.5 pts
72Calumet County5-1.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Menominee County, with 27.2% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Calumet County, with 5% in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Wisconsin: more rankings