1st Advantage MortgageThe median Sawyer County household earns $60,801, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Use those as context only. A lender looks at your own documented income and debts; compare APR and total repaid on every Sawyer County offer.
On this page
- A quick profile of Sawyer County
- What it costs to live in Sawyer County
- How much Sawyer County households make
- Employment and commuting in Sawyer County
- Where Sawyer County differs from the rest of Wisconsin
- Sawyer County towns compared
- Sawyer County, Rusk County and other neighbors
- More Sawyer County figures
- What the numbers mean for Sawyer County borrowers
- A Sawyer County household budget, worked through
- Steps before you apply in Sawyer County
- Verifying a lender from Sawyer County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Sawyer County
Roughly 18,476 residents live in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, 56th by population among the state's 72 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 1,258 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 15 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (5 incorporated, 4 census-designated); the largest is Hayward, with about 2,555 residents, or 14% of the county.
What it costs to live in Sawyer County
A typical Sawyer County rental runs $712 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Wisconsin. About 3 in 10 Sawyer County renters pay 30% or more of income for rent. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $236,200, about 3.9 times the median household income. 77% of Sawyer County households own their home and 23% rent.
| Housing | Sawyer County | Wisconsin statewide | Sawyer County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 77% | 68% | +8.9 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 35% | 44% | -8.8 pts |
| Burdened owners | 31% | 22% | +8.1 pts |
| Median gross rent | $712/mo | $1,087/mo | 34% lower |
| Mobile homes | 5.2% | 3.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Median home value | $236,200 | $266,500 | 11% lower |
In an owner-heavy county like Sawyer County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
How much Sawyer County households make
Sawyer County households have a median income of $60,801 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 67th of 72 in Wisconsin.
| Yearly household income | Sawyer County | Gap to Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.0% | +7.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.1% | +4.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.8% | -8.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.1% | -3.1 pts |
28% under $35,000 and 26% at $100,000 or more: that is the Sawyer County income split. The poverty rate is 15.6%, 5 points higher than the state's 10.6%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.459 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Employment and commuting in Sawyer County
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 14%. Sawyer County over-indexes on retail trade: 14% versus 11% in Wisconsin. The survey's unemployment rate for Sawyer County averages 6.0% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.2%). Long commutes are the exception here: 13% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Sector | Sawyer County | Compared with Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% | +2.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.4% | +3.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.3% | +2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.7% | -8.2 pts |
| Construction | 8.7% | +2.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.7% | -1.7 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Where Sawyer County differs from the rest of Wisconsin
- On the ACS unemployment rate, Sawyer County sits near the top of Wisconsin at 6.0%, 2nd highest of 72. Job gaps can make income hard to document; gather records first.
- The poverty rate: 15.6% in Sawyer County. Only 2 of 72 Wisconsin counties are higher. Free help, such as utility and rent assistance, should come before any loan.
- The housing vacancy rate: 46% in Sawyer County. Only 4 of 72 Wisconsin counties are higher. High vacancy often reflects seasonal or second homes.
- Median gross rent: $712/mo in Sawyer County. Only 4 of 72 Wisconsin counties are lower. Cheaper housing gives many renters more slack in a budget.
Sawyer County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 32% of Sawyer County residents live in one of the 9. Chief Lake ($70,833) and Little Round Lake ($37,535) mark the top and bottom of Sawyer County's income range among larger places. Rent is cheapest in Little Round Lake ($417) and steepest in Hayward ($829). This guide covers each of the 9 places and the rural areas around them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward | city | 2,555 | $45,665 | $829 | 19 mi |
| Little Round Lake | CDP | 1,295 | $37,535 | $417 | 13 mi |
| Chief Lake | CDP | 660 | $70,833 | $721 | 10 mi |
| New Post | CDP | 340 | $50,000 | $575 | 4 mi |
| Winter | village | 285 | $41,204 | $857 | 7 mi |
| Reserve | CDP | 252 | $38,036 | $263 | 11 mi |
| Radisson | village | 234 | $41,625 | $725 | 8 mi |
| Exeland | village | 193 | $31,713 | $578 | 14 mi |
| Couderay | village | 118 | $54,271 | n/a | 9 mi |
Sawyer County, Rusk County and other neighbors
Rusk County is closest, 27 miles from center to center; the sixth, Iron County, is 53 miles off. Income ranges from $59,944 in Rusk County to $65,933 in Barron County; 3 of these neighbors top Sawyer County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawyer County | - | $60,801 | $712/mo | 77% |
| Rusk County, WI | 27 mi | $59,944 | $874/mo | 78% |
| Washburn County, WI | 31 mi | $63,441 | $795/mo | 82% |
| Price County, WI | 40 mi | $60,546 | $786/mo | 82% |
| Barron County, WI | 45 mi | $65,933 | $879/mo | 77% |
| Ashland County, WI | 52 mi | $62,462 | $721/mo | 73% |
| Iron County, WI | 53 mi | $60,625 | $662/mo | 89% |
More Sawyer County figures
College graduates make up 27% of the adult population. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Sawyer County | Gap to Wisconsin | Gap to typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | +12.6 yrs | +11.3 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.4% | -6.0 pts | +5.3 pts |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | +5.1 pts | +2.4 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.0% | +2.7 pts | +1.6 pts |
| No vehicle | 4.3% | -2.1 pts | -1.1 pts |
| No health insurance | 6.5% | +1.3 pts | -1.3 pts |
| Work from home | 12.7% | -0.4 pts | +4.0 pts |
| No high school diploma | 6.3% | -0.2 pts | n/a |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 44.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.7% |
| 60+ min | 7.0% |
What the numbers mean for Sawyer County borrowers
What the Sawyer County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Retirees. At a median age of 52.8, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Sawyer County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
A Sawyer County household budget, worked through
Sawyer County's $60,801 median income, run through a debt-to-income check:
- Start: $5,067 gross per month ($60,801 / 12)
- Median rent: $712, or 14 cents of every gross dollar
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,315 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $712, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Steps before you apply in Sawyer County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Sawyer County-area credit union.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Wisconsin borrowers.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Verifying a lender from Sawyer County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Sawyer County resident can confirm its license with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. If a Sawyer County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop.
Nearby and statewide guides
Statewide:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Sawyer County household make?
About $60,801 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 22% below the Wisconsin median.
What do renters pay in Sawyer County?
$712 a month at the median, about 14% of median household income.
Should Sawyer County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 77% of Sawyer County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live near Hayward. Which guide is mine?
This one. Hayward and the rest of Sawyer County have no separate city guide.
Are Sawyer County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.