1st Advantage MortgageGrant County households have a median income of $66,858 and median rent of $813 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Grant County by the numbers
- Rent, home values and ownership in Grant County
- How much Grant County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Grant County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- The communities that make up Grant County
- Debt-to-income at Grant County's medians
- Who lives in Grant County, in numbers
- Reading the Grant County data as a borrower
- Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
- A Grant County borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Grant County by the numbers
With an estimated 51,770 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Grant County ranks 28th of 72 in Wisconsin for population. Spread over 1,148 square miles, that works out to roughly 45.1 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Grant County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 19 places in the county (16 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Platteville, with about 11,499 residents, or 22% of the county.
Rent, home values and ownership in Grant County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $813 in Grant County versus $1,087 statewide. By the Census definition, 45% of Grant County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $200,700, or 3.0 years of median income. The ownership rate is 70%.
| Grant County | Wisconsin | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $813/mo | $1,087/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $200,700 | $266,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 70% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.9% | 3.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 11% | 11% | n/a |
How much Grant County households make
At $66,858, the typical Grant County household income is 2% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Yearly household income | Grant County | Gap to Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.5% | +3.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.4% | +3.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.7% | -2.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.4% | -3.8 pts |
About 24% of households earn under $35,000, while 31% clear $100,000. 13.0% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.6%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.433 here. None of these numbers decides a Grant County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Work, industries and travel time in Grant County
The biggest employer of Grant County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 7% of workers here, versus 2% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.1% in Grant County. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 10% work from home. Households without a car make up 4.9% of the total (6.4% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Grant County | Gap to Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | -0.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% | -2.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.7% | +3.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.9% | +0.6 pts |
| Construction | 7.5% | +1.2 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 7.4% | +5.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Crawford County at 28 miles out to Richland County at 37. Iowa County leads the group on income ($82,182), Crawford County trails ($64,094), and Grant County out-earns 2 of the six. The list crosses into Iowa, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | - | $66,858 | $813/mo | 70% |
| Crawford County, WI | 28 mi | $64,094 | $789/mo | 77% |
| Dubuque County, IA | 30 mi | $77,630 | $959/mo | 73% |
| Iowa County, WI | 30 mi | $82,182 | $954/mo | 77% |
| Clayton County, IA | 32 mi | $67,242 | $790/mo | 78% |
| Lafayette County, WI | 32 mi | $76,462 | $830/mo | 80% |
| Richland County, WI | 37 mi | $66,420 | $771/mo | 74% |
The communities that make up Grant County
The table lists the 14 largest of 19 Census places in Grant County, by population. Together all 19 hold about 27,962 people, so roughly 46% of residents live outside any named place. Montfort has the highest median household income on the list ($90,000) and Platteville the lowest ($43,083), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Boscobel ($655) and steepest in Montfort ($943). This guide covers each of the 19 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platteville | city | 11,499 | $43,083 | $863 | 15 mi |
| Lancaster | city | 3,976 | $84,302 | $806 | 2 mi |
| Boscobel | city | 3,242 | $54,071 | $655 | 19 mi |
| Fennimore | city | 2,752 | $61,875 | $732 | 8 mi |
| Dickeyville | village | 878 | $70,913 | $712 | 18 mi |
| Bloomington | village | 710 | $77,750 | $660 | 12 mi |
| Cassville | village | 634 | $58,750 | $678 | 18 mi |
| Montfort | village | 629 | $90,000 | $943 | 15 mi |
| Potosi | village | 595 | $69,000 | $775 | 13 mi |
| Livingston | village | 555 | $66,875 | $788 | 13 mi |
| Blue River | village | 472 | $59,861 | $775 | 23 mi |
| Kieler | CDP | 358 | $78,750 | $773 | 20 mi |
| Bagley | village | 337 | $53,229 | $817 | 21 mi |
| Tennyson | village | 308 | $61,250 | $863 | 12 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Debt-to-income at Grant County's medians
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Grant County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,572 before taxes
- Less median rent of $813, which is 15% of it
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,583 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Who lives in Grant County, in numbers
College graduates make up 26% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 8.0%, against 5.2% for Wisconsin.
| Residents | Grant County | Wisconsin | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 40.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.6% | 33.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.5% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.0% | 5.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 13.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Grant County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 43.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.1% |
Reading the Grant County data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Grant County borrowers.
- Consolidating cards in Grant County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
Grant County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Wisconsin guide covers state rules in more detail.
A Grant County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Grant County borrowers:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Grant County-area credit union.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Grant County credit union about member loans.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Wisconsin guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grant County a high-income county?
Its $66,858 median ranks 53rd of 72 Wisconsin counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Grant County rent compare with Wisconsin?
$813 locally versus $1,087 for the state, 25% below.
What are the biggest places in Grant County?
By population: Platteville, Lancaster, Boscobel, Fennimore, Dickeyville. The county has 19 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Grant County or elsewhere in Wisconsin, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Grant County check a lender's license?
With the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.