PlainZIP

Shell Lake, WI · standard

ZIP Code 54871

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

3,105
11/sq mi
$69,342
Median income
$241,000
Median home value
29.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Shell Lake pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
11
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54871 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 54871 covers 287.5 square miles in Shell Lake, Washburn County, Wisconsin (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,105 residents on file, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 54871 reports a modest median household income of $69,342 (11% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $38,648. Poverty here runs at 8.3%, with unemployment measured at 1.8%. On housing, the median home value is $241,000 (3% below the state average) with median rent at $644 per month, and 84.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 54871 in local context, 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Washburn 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 54871

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shell Lake, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54871.

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 54871, Shell Lake, 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

3,105

Population

287.5

Area (sq mi)

11

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 54871?

46.0

Median Age

46.5%

Male

53.5%

Female

3.6%

Foreign-Born

White 91.5%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

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?

$69,342

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$38,648

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

1.8%

Unemployment Rate

21.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 54871 ranks nationally

Shell Lake, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,342 46th percentile higher than 46% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 59.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.6%

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

What does housing look like?

1,914

Total Housing Units

1,302

Occupied Units

612

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.6%
Renter 15.4%

$241,000

Median Home Value

-3% vs state

$644

Median Rent

1978

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

+32.7%

YoY Change (2024)

279

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+179%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 54871 have increased 32.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +179% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +11.8% 155
2020 +0.1% 155
2021 +10.8% 172
2022 +32.7% 229
2024 – 279

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 76 business establishments in ZIP 54871, employing approximately 775 people with a combined annual payroll of $31,093,000.

76

Businesses

775

Employees

$31.1M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 13 17.1%
Construction 10 13.2%
Accommodation and food services 9 11.8%
Other services (except public administration) 9 11.8%
Manufacturing 7 9.2%
Retail trade 7 9.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 5.3%
Transportation and warehousing 3 4.0%
Finance and insurance 3 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 4.0%

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 54871 vs 54813 →

ZIP 54871 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 54871 ranks #2 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 54871 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 54871 ranks #2 of 3 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
54813 Barronett, WI 601 6.1 mi
54801 Spooner, WI 6,493 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Washburn County

54801 standard
Spooner, WI
Pop: 6,493
54817 standard
Birchwood, WI
Pop: 2,188
54859 standard
Minong, WI
Pop: 1,896
54870 standard
Sarona, WI
Pop: 1,486
54888 standard
Trego, WI
Pop: 1,345
54875 standard
Springbrook, WI
Pop: 1,055

Related Areas

Washburn County Shell Lake, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 54871 in? ▼
ZIP code 54871 (Shell Lake) is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Washburn County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washburn-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 54871? ▼
ZIP code 54871 in Shell Lake, WI has a population of 3,105 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54871? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 54871 is $69,342, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54871? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 54871 is $241,000, which is 13% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54871? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 54871 is White at 91.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54871? ▼
ZIP code 54871 has 76 business establishments employing approximately 775 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54871? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54871 are: Health care and social assistance (13), Construction (10), Accommodation and food services (9). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54871? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54871 increased by 32.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 179%. 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 54871? ▼
In ZIP code 54871, 59.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.6% 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 54871? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54871 is 21.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 54871? ▼
In ZIP code 54871, approximately 84.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54871? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54871 is 8.3% 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.