PlainZIP

Merrimac, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53561

Sauk County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,618
17/sq mi
$91,103
Median income
$427,600
Median home value
38.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Merrimac pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 18%
home value, US ZIPs
17
people per sq mi
90%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53561 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53561 covers 93.5 square miles in Merrimac, Sauk County, Wisconsin (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,618 residents on file, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53561 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,103 (17% above the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $51,641. Local economic indicators show a 5.5% poverty rate alongside 3.1% unemployment. Housing costs here run $427,600 for a typical home value (72% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,061 a month; 89.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.3, and the average commute is 30 minutes. To put 53561 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Sauk County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 53561

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Merrimac, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53561.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53561, Merrimac, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

1,618

Population

93.5

Area (sq mi)

17

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 53561?

47.3

Median Age

51.8%

Male

48.2%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 91.3%
African American 2.6%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$91,103

Median Household Income

+17% vs state

$51,641

Per Capita Income

5.5%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

29.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53561 ranks nationally

Merrimac, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$91,103 Top 26% higher than 74% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 65.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,169

Total Housing Units

815

Occupied Units

354

Vacant Units

2.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.7%
Renter 10.3%

$427,600

Median Home Value

+72% vs state

$1,061

Median Rent

1983

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+24.9%

YoY Change (2024)

321

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+221%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53561 have increased 24.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +221% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.7% 192
2021 +6.4% 204
2022 +14.5% 234
2023 +9.9% 257
2024 +24.9% 321

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 26 business establishments in ZIP 53561, employing approximately 147 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,389,000.

26

Businesses

147

Employees

$5.4M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 8 30.8%
Other services (except public administration) 4 15.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 11.5%
Health care and social assistance 3 11.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 53561 vs 53555 →

ZIP 53561 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53561 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 53561 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 53561 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
53555 Lodi, WI 8,465 6.8 mi
53913 Baraboo, WI 19,881 8.0 mi
53578 Prairie Du Sac, WI 5,924 8.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sauk County

53913 standard
Baraboo, WI
Pop: 19,881
53959 standard
Reedsburg, WI
Pop: 13,384
53578 standard
Prairie Du Sac, WI
Pop: 5,924
53583 standard
Sauk City, WI
Pop: 5,747
53588 standard
Spring Green, WI
Pop: 4,077
53941 standard
La Valle, WI
Pop: 2,932

Related Areas

Sauk County Merrimac, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53561 in? ▼
ZIP code 53561 (Merrimac) is located in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Sauk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sauk-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53561? ▼
ZIP code 53561 in Merrimac, WI has a population of 1,618 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53561? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53561 is $91,103, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53561? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53561 is $427,600, which is 54% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53561? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53561 is White at 91.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53561? ▼
ZIP code 53561 has 26 business establishments employing approximately 147 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53561? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53561 are: Accommodation and food services (8), Other services (except public administration) (4), Real estate and rental and leasing (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53561? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53561 increased by 24.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 221%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53561? ▼
In ZIP code 53561, 65.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 53561? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53561 is 29.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53561? ▼
In ZIP code 53561, approximately 89.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53561? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53561 is 5.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.