• county
  • FIPS 55125
  • Largest town: Eagle River

Vilas County, Wisconsin

Vilas County had 23,948 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 857.7 square miles of land. It ranks 49th of 72 in Wisconsin by population and 25th by land area.

Population
23,948
#49 of 72 in Wisconsin · #1,651 in US
Area
857.7 sq mi
#25 of 72 in Wisconsin · #969 in US
Density
28 / sq mi
#56 of 72 in Wisconsin · #1,990 in US
Median household income
$63,779
#54 of 72 in Wisconsin · #1,476 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

Vilas County within Wisconsin. Pin: Madison.

Measure from here

Tools and pages that start from Vilas County

Vilas County population, land area and income

Vilas County had 23,948 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 857.7 square miles of land. It ranks 49th of 72 in Wisconsin by population and 25th by land area. That works out to 27.9 people per square mile, below the US average of 96.3, and below the national county median.

The median county-equivalent in Wisconsin has 41,821 residents; Vilas County is somewhat smaller.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $63,779 is above the national county median among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

23,948

3144th1st

1651st of 3,144 (US)

Land area

858 sq mi

3144th1st

969th of 3,144 (US)

Density

27.9 / sq mi

3144th1st

1990th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$63,779

3143rd1st

1476th of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Wisconsin (72)

Population

23,948

72nd1st

49th of 72 (WI)

Land area

858 sq mi

72nd1st

25th of 72 (WI)

Density

27.9 / sq mi

72nd1st

56th of 72 (WI)

Median household income

$63,779

72nd1st

54th of 72 (WI)

How Vilas County's population changed since 2020

Vilas County gained 851 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a rise of 3.7%. That ranks 7th of 72 in Wisconsin for growth. The median Wisconsin county changed by +1.0%, and the state as a whole by +1.1%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, Vilas County recorded 689 births and 1,486 deaths, a natural change of -797. Net international migration added -1 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +1,714. The largest single component was domestic migration, which added 1,714 people.

23.1k202023.5k202123.8k202223.9k202323.9k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
689
Deaths
1,486
Net international migration
-1
Net domestic migration
+1,714
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
+34

Where Vilas County is

The Census internal point of Vilas County is at 46.049800, -89.501300. It sits in UTM zone 16N. The map shades Wisconsin's 72 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with Vilas County outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Barron County: +0.2%Green County: +0.4%Dunn County: +1.5%Jefferson County: +0.0%Lincoln County: +0.1%Rusk County: -0.1%Fond du Lac County: +0.1%Marquette County: +1.0%Outagamie County: +2.3%Waupaca County: -1.2%Oneida County: +0.8%Eau Claire County: +2.8%Washington County: +1.4%Portage County: +2.3%Menominee County: +0.7%Clark County: +0.5%Monroe County: +0.2%Milwaukee County: -1.5%Buffalo County: +1.1%Lafayette County: +4.2%Ozaukee County: +2.5%Rock County: +1.0%Sheboygan County: +0.2%Green Lake County: +1.8%Waukesha County: +2.3%Calumet County: +2.1%Dodge County: -0.8%Wood County: -0.3%Winnebago County: +0.9%Sawyer County: +4.0%Dane County: +4.6%Sauk County: +1.1%Pepin County: +2.9%Adams County: +3.2%Price County: +0.4%Taylor County: +1.1%Grant County: +0.7%Trempealeau County: -0.0%Vernon County: +2.1%Waushara County: +2.2%Iowa County: +1.0%Crawford County: -0.5%Kenosha County: -0.3%Shawano County: +1.1%Juneau County: -0.7%Jackson County: -0.3%Vilas County: +3.7%Bayfield County: +3.7%Chippewa County: +1.5%Iron County: +1.5%Racine County: +0.3%Door County: +1.3%Ashland County: +1.1%Kewaunee County: +0.9%Polk County: +1.8%Florence County: +2.4%Douglas County: -0.2%Forest County: +3.7%Columbia County: -0.7%Walworth County: +0.7%La Crosse County: +0.1%Manitowoc County: +0.1%Oconto County: +2.5%Langlade County: +0.4%Marathon County: +0.7%Washburn County: +2.2%Brown County: +1.8%Richland County: -0.9%Marinette County: +1.1%St. Croix County: +4.3%Pierce County: +2.7%Burnett County: +3.7%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < +0.1%
  2. < +0.7%
  3. < +1.3%
  4. < +2.3%
  5. ≥ +2.3%
no data

Orange pin: Vilas County internal point. Dark pin: Madison.

Internal point

Decimal
46.049800, -89.501300
DMS
46°02'59.28"N 89°30'4.68"W
UTM
16N 306494.6E 5102622.5N
Geohash
f00mgr55s
Plus code
86RG2FXX+WF

Towns in Vilas County

One incorporated place of 1,000+ people has residents in Vilas County, 1,681 people together, or 7% of the county. Each figure counts only the part of the town inside Vilas County; towns marked "part" extend into another county. The largest is Eagle River with 1,681.

  1. 01Eagle River1,681
Census Vintage 2024 subcounty estimates, county parts of incorporated places (SUMLEV 157).

Counties bordering Vilas County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for Vilas County, including 2 across a state line. The most populous is Oneida County, WI, with 38,175 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Madison and the nearest big city

Madison is 205.6 miles S of Vilas County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Green Bay, WI (population 106,311), 128.7 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Wausau, WI (population 40,262), 75.5 miles away.

Vilas County FIPS code

The FIPS code of Vilas County is 55125: state code 55 for Wisconsin plus county code 125. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $63,779.

Questions people ask

What is the population of Vilas County, Wisconsin?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 23,948. That is up 851 people (3.7%) from the July 2020 estimate of 23,097.

What is the FIPS code of Vilas County?

55125. The first two digits (55) are Wisconsin; the last three (125) identify the county.

What is the largest town in Vilas County?

Eagle River, with 1,681 residents inside Vilas County in 2024.

Which counties border Vilas County?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Oneida County, WI; Gogebic County, MI; Price County, WI; Iron County, MI; Forest County, WI; Iron County, WI.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.