Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety70#280/924
Economy89#106/925
Housing83#154/925
Health65#322/925
Healthcare81#174/923
Environment68#295/917
Education66#312/925
Infrastructure65#324/925
Community92#79/925
Leisure & amenities95#51/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Baraboo, WI micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Restaurants and bars · high17.0 /10k
97/100Wisconsin 12.7 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Poverty rate · low8.1%
96/100Wisconsin 10.3%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Arts, entertainment and recreation · high9.8 /10k
95/100Wisconsin 4.8 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Child poverty rate · low8.6%
95/100Wisconsin 12.2%United States 15.5%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.410
94/100Wisconsin 0.444United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Voter turnout · high75.6%
92/100Wisconsin 76.3%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Firearm deaths · high21.2 /100k
18/100Wisconsin 13.4 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Job growth · low-1.7%
19/100Wisconsin 0.0%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional data
Days with unhealthy air · high1.6%
21/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Effective property tax rate · high1.23%
21/100Wisconsin 1.32%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Public transit commuters · low0.1%
22/100Wisconsin 1.1%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301High uncertainty
Injury deaths · high112 /100k
24/100Wisconsin 101 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureImproving
35% (2021) → 21% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−14 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
22.8 /100k (2021) → 10.4 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−54%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Mammography screeningImproving
39.0% (2019) → 48.0% (2023)
+9 pts4 yearsUS 43.0% → 46.0%
New business applicationsImproving
7.5 /1k (2020) → 10.8 /1k (2025)
+44%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Child care cost burdenWorsening
22.0% (2020 & 2021) → 30.2% (2023 & 2024)
+8.2 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Property crime rateImproving
1,472 /100k (2020) → 870 /100k (2025)
−41%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Baraboo, WI micropolitan area improved on 15 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 6 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved15

Pharmacies+9.7%1.4 /10k → 1.5 /10k
Unemployment−4.7 points7.6% → 2.9%
Child poverty−6.7 points15.3% → 8.6%
Overdose deaths−62%27.4 /100k → 10.4 /100k
Gyms+27%1.1 /10k → 1.4 /10k

Declined3

Firearm deaths+102%10.5 /100k → 21.2 /100k
Homicides+5%2.0 /100k → 2.1 /100k
Price / income+0.2×3.0× → 3.3×

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Baraboo, WI micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	8.2 /10k2020	9.8 /10k2025	+19%	Improved	72%
Average commute time	22.0 min2015-2019	23.0 min2020-2024	+1.0 min	Within the margin of error	32%
Average weekly wage	$8322020	$1,0082025	+21%	Improved	31%
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.1%2015-2019	27.3%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Improved	61%
Broadband subscriptions	81.9%2015-2019	88.5%2020-2024	+6.6 points	Improved	19%
Child poverty rate	15.3%2015-2019	8.6%2020-2024	−6.7 points	Improved	86%
Distance to an airport	35 mi2020	35 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	27.4 /100k2020	10.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−62%	Improved	92%
Effective property tax rate	1.57%2015-2019	1.23%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Little change	92%
Firearm deaths	10.5 /100k2020	21.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+102%	Declined	2%
Grocery stores	1.8 /10k2020	1.8 /10k2025	−1.3%	Little change	45%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	1.4 /10k2025	+27%	Improved	77%
High school diploma or higher	90.9%2015-2019	92.6%2020-2024	+1.7 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Home price to income ratio	3.0×2015-2019	3.3×2020-2024	+0.2×	Declined	80%
Homicide rate	2.0 /100k2020	2.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+5%	Declined	18%
Income adjusted for local prices	$57,9742019	$78,1162024	+35%	Improved	71%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4162015-2019	0.4102020-2024	−0.006	Within the margin of error	73%
Median household income	$59,9432015-2019	$79,5412020-2024	+33%	Improved	78%
New business applications	7.5 /1k2020	10.8 /1k2025	+44%	Improved	48%
Pharmacies	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+9.7%	Improved	88%
Poverty rate	9.9%2015-2019	8.1%2020-2024	−1.8 points	Improved	69%
Property crime rate	1,472 /100k2020	870 /100k2025	−41%	Improved	66%
Public libraries	1.4 /10k2019	1.4 /10k2024	−3.2%	Little change	36%
Rent as share of income	27.6%2015-2019	25.9%2020-2024	−1.7 points	Within the margin of error	84%
Rent-burdened households	44.8%2015-2019	39.8%2020-2024	−5 points	Within the margin of error	88%
Restaurants and bars	16.7 /10k2020	17.0 /10k2025	+1.4%	Little change	52%
Suicide rate	19.8 /100k2020	19.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−0.5%	Little change	61%
Traffic deaths	16.3 /100k2015-2019	16.7 /100k2020-2024	+2.4%	Little change	58%
Unemployment rate	7.6%2020	2.9%2025	−4.7 points	Improved	90%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.3%2015-2019	7.4%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Violent crime rate	124 /100k2020	110 /100k2025	−11%	Improved	42%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Baraboo, WI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Baraboo, WI micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Baraboo, WI micropolitan area itself moved +4.8 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

66,009 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 70–79 men (+1.2 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

66,009 residents

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

White86%56,960
Black0.8%†511
Hispanic or Latino6.8%4,488

Education

46,519 residents (±78)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma7.4%3,438
High school or GED31%14,522
Some college21%9,689

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

27,987 households (±334)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k12%3,346
$25k–50k17%4,777
$50k–75k17%4,858
$75k–100k16%4,372
$100k–150k21%5,859
$150k–200k10%2,851
$200k or more6.9%1,924

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (−6.8 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

27,987 households (±334)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Own72%20,252
Rent28%7,735

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.5 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

7,352 households (±488)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75023%1,708
$750–1,00025%1,838
$1,000–1,50039%2,855

Home values

20,252 homes (±493)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k17%3,393
$150k–250k31%6,306
$250k–400k29%5,943
$400k–750k

Age of homes

31,496 homes (±62)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later8.3%2,612
2000–200917%5,426
1980–199928%8,755

Size of homes

31,496 homes (±62)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Studio1.7%†522
1 bedroom8.3%2,612
2 bedrooms26%8,340

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

33,900 workers (±658)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone77%26,108
Carpool9.0%3,052
Public transit0.1%†42
Walk2.4%819
Bike0.5%†156
Work from home9.6%3,271
Other1.3%452

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+5.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

30,629 workers (±727)

Baraboo, WI micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min39%12,012
15–29 min30%9,202
30–44 min16%4,810

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Baraboo, WI micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Baraboo, WI has 1,876 employer establishments, 283 for every 10,000 residents (1.14× the US rate of 248), with 31,025 paid employees at an average annual pay of $50,311. The Census Bureau also counts 5,183 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,876; 5,183 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 283; US 248
Paid employees: 31,025
Average annual pay: $50,311; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Baraboo, WI by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	160	24.2	1.56×More than typical	854	$61,595	482
Restaurants and other eating places	153	23.1	1.26×More than typical	3,494	$26,144	17
Ambulatory health care services	106	16	0.77×Fewer than typical	1,087	$89,085	173
Lessors of real estate	103	15.6	1.26×More than typical	482	$56,176	584
Full-service restaurants	76	11.5	1.49×More than typical	2,203	$28,607	9
Real estate agents and brokers	70	10.6	2.17×More than typical	332	$63,322	117
Building equipment contractors	65	9.8	1.63×More than typical	415	$58,761	73
Traveler accommodation	57	8.6	4.77×More than typical	3,671	$34,599	38
Limited-service restaurants	56	8.5	1.05×About typical	1,070	$21,509	5
Construction of buildings	52	7.9	1.04×About typical	396	$82,985	198
Services to buildings and dwellings	49	7.4	1.10×About typical	179	$43,922	294
Truck transportation	49	7.4	1.46×More than typical	389	$64,383	136

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 66,216 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $7.1M on contracts performed in Baraboo, WI micropolitan area: $107 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $7.1M; −41% vs FY2025
Per resident: $107; US $1,994
Sole-source: 2.1%; US 30%
Single offer: 15%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$5.1M72%
Agricultural Research Service$1.7M24%
Department of Veterans Affairs$296.7K4.2%
Department of the Navy$22K0.3%
Department of the Army$4370.0%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

4.8MFY2017
7.8MFY2018
12.7MFY2019
10.1MFY2020
25.2MFY2021
26.4MFY2022
11.7MFY2023
12.6M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$3.2M44%
Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing · 3118$1.2M17%
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing · 3339$543.5K7.6%
Other specialty trade contractors · 2389$471.5K6.6%
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing · 3331$406.6K5.7%
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) · 6231

Largest awards

8511694667!SEPARATOR ASSEMBLY, FUEL / WA$543.5K
STATZ CORP· Sauk County, WI· Other equipment & supplies· Oct 14, 2025 – Oct 14, 2025· SPE7M126P0593
8510609245!VALVE,BALL$502.9K
MILWAUKEE VALVE CO, INC· Sauk County, WI· Other equipment & supplies· May 14, 2024 – Mar 2, 2026· SPE7MC24P1497
FY26 PDS FENCING$474.5K
H&S FENCING LLC· Sauk County, WI· Construction & real property· Sep 8, 2026 – Sep 8, 2026· 1232SA26P0647
8511730716!VALVE,ANGLE$332.5K

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $468.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Baraboo, WI micropolitan area: $7,030 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $468.5M; +1.7% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,030; US $12,955
Loan face value: $15.6M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$311.8M67%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$38.8M8.3%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$28.5M6.1%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$25.6M5.5%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$20.6M4.4%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$16.9M3.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$6.6M1.4%
64.110 · Veterans Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Service-Connected Death$2.8M0.6%

Top recipients (organizations)

WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$42.5M9.1%
MADISON, WI
SAUK PRAIRIE SCHOOL DISTRICT$1.9M0.4%
PRAIRIE DU SAC, WI
SAUK COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY$1.8M0.4%
BARABOO, WI
WHPC-STATEWIDE, LLC$1.2M0.3%
REEDSBURG, WI
RURAL WISCONSIN HEALTH COOPERATIVE$999.9K

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$367.5M78%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$43.3M9.2%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$42.6M9.1%
Department of Transportation
Farm Service Agency$3.6M0.8%
Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Assistance by fiscal year

604MFY2021
703.8MFY2022
732.4MFY2023
525.7MFY2024
460.6MFY2025
468.5MFY2026

County aggregates

88%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Baraboo, WI

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Sauk CountyCentral county9166,652

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

BarabooPrincipal city12,769

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Wisconsin

Areas based in Wisconsin, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M12660

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved15

Declined3

Metro and micro areas like Baraboo, WI micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Baraboo, WI

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Wisconsin

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved15

Declined3

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought