Counties in Wisconsin by poverty rate

Menominee County had the highest poverty rate of 72 counties in 2018, at 26.5%. Ozaukee County had the lowest, at 4.2%. The median was 10.9% and the figure for Wisconsin was 11.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest26.5Menominee County
Median10.972 counties
Wisconsin11.1History

Top 40 counties, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

Menominee CountyMenominee County: 26.5 %26.5Milwaukee CountyMilwaukee County: 19.1 %19.1Ashland CountyAshland County: 15.8 %15.8Adams CountyAdams County: 15.3 %15.3Forest CountyForest County: 14.7 %14.7Sawyer CountySawyer County: 14.5 %14.5Richland CountyRichland County: 14.3 %14.3Rusk CountyRusk County: 14.3 %14.3Bayfield CountyBayfield County: 14.2 %14.2Grant CountyGrant County: 14 %14Vernon CountyVernon County: 13.6 %13.6Juneau CountyJuneau County: 13.4 %13.4Iron CountyIron County: 13.2 %13.2Monroe CountyMonroe County: 13.2 %13.2Crawford CountyCrawford County: 12.9 %12.9Eau Claire CountyEau Claire County: 12.9 %12.9Langlade CountyLanglade County: 12.7 %12.7Racine CountyRacine County: 12.6 %12.6Dunn CountyDunn County: 12.5 %12.5Washburn CountyWashburn County: 12.5 %12.5Price CountyPrice County: 12.4 %12.4Barron CountyBarron County: 12.3 %12.3Jackson CountyJackson County: 12 %12Kenosha CountyKenosha County: 12 %12Marinette CountyMarinette County: 12 %12Clark CountyClark County: 11.9 %11.9Florence CountyFlorence County: 11.9 %11.9Douglas CountyDouglas County: 11.7 %11.7Chippewa CountyChippewa County: 11.3 %11.3Lafayette CountyLafayette County: 11.3 %11.3Portage CountyPortage County: 11.3 %11.3Green Lake CountyGreen Lake County: 11 %11La Crosse CountyLa Crosse County: 10.9 %10.9Rock CountyRock County: 10.9 %10.9Vilas CountyVilas County: 10.9 %10.9Waushara CountyWaushara County: 10.9 %10.9Dane CountyDane County: 10.8 %10.8Marquette CountyMarquette County: 10.8 %10.8Burnett CountyBurnett County: 10.7 %10.7Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 10.6 %10.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Menominee County26.5-1.1 pts
2Milwaukee County19.10 pts
3Ashland County15.8+0.7 pts
4Adams County15.3+0.5 pts
5Forest County14.7-0.4 pts
6Sawyer County14.5-2.5 pts
7Richland County14.3+1.2 pts
7Rusk County14.3-0.4 pts
9Bayfield County14.2+1.9 pts
10Grant County14+0.4 pts
11Vernon County13.6-3.4 pts
12Juneau County13.4-1.4 pts
13Iron County13.2-1.9 pts
13Monroe County13.2+1.8 pts
15Crawford County12.9+0.5 pts
15Eau Claire County12.9-1.6 pts
17Langlade County12.7-1.3 pts
18Racine County12.6+1.7 pts
19Dunn County12.5+0.9 pts
19Washburn County12.5-0.3 pts
21Price County12.4+1.1 pts
22Barron County12.3-0.8 pts
23Jackson County12-1.3 pts
23Kenosha County12+0.6 pts
23Marinette County12-1.3 pts
26Clark County11.9+0.1 pts
26Florence County11.9-0.2 pts
28Douglas County11.7+0.1 pts
29Chippewa County11.3+1.2 pts
29Lafayette County11.3+0.4 pts
29Portage County11.3-0.6 pts
32Green Lake County11+1 pts
33La Crosse County10.9-1.1 pts
33Rock County10.9-1.2 pts
33Vilas County10.9-3 pts
33Waushara County10.9-1.3 pts
37Dane County10.8-0.5 pts
37Marquette County10.8-2 pts
39Burnett County10.7-2 pts
40Lincoln County10.6+0.3 pts
41Manitowoc County10.4+1.2 pts
41Waupaca County10.4-0.2 pts
41Winnebago County10.4-0.7 pts
44Pepin County10.3-0.4 pts
44Taylor County10.3-0.1 pts
46Walworth County10.1-0.5 pts
46Wood County10.1-0.6 pts
48Polk County9.6+0.3 pts
48Shawano County9.6-2 pts
50Fond du Lac County9.5+0.9 pts
51Oneida County9.40 pts
52Oconto County9.2+0.2 pts
53Dodge County8.9+0.3 pts
54Buffalo County8.8-0.6 pts
55Brown County8.6-1.1 pts
55Sauk County8.6-1.3 pts
57Pierce County8.5+0.7 pts
58Door County8.4+0.7 pts
59Iowa County8.2-0.5 pts
60Jefferson County8.1-0.4 pts
61Trempealeau County8-0.8 pts
62Green County7.7-0.3 pts
63Columbia County7.60 pts
64Marathon County7.5-2.5 pts
64Sheboygan County7.5-0.3 pts
66Kewaunee County7.3-0.7 pts
67Outagamie County7.2+0.1 pts
68Calumet County5.3-0.1 pts
69Waukesha County5+0.2 pts
70St. Croix County4.7+0.2 pts
71Washington County4.5-0.8 pts
72Ozaukee County4.2-0.7 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/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Menominee County, with 26.5% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Ozaukee County, with 4.2% in 2018.

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