St. Cloud: Economy & Jobs
St. Cloud reports a median household income of $100,357 (1.4× higher than Fond du Lac County median $74,275; 1.4× higher than Wisconsin median $73,427), with homes at a median value of $194,600. The surrounding county supports 45,047 jobs (avg $58,238).
- $77,525 avg taxable income per return — lower than the median household income (vs Wisconsin $74,990).
Income & Affordability
Median household income $100,357 — above the Wisconsin median ($73,427). Poverty rate 2.0% (U.S. average ~12.5%). 14% of renters spend more than half their income on rent ("severely cost-burdened" by HUD definition; U.S. ~24%).
| Affordability · Home Price To Income | 1.9× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Home Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Rent Pct Income | 9.5% |
| Affordability · Rent Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Pct Severely Rent Burdened | 14.3% |
| Affordability · Poverty Rate | 2.0% |
| Affordability · Property Tax Pct Income | 3.0% |
| Irs Income · IRS tax returns filed | $52,090 |
| Irs Income · Total Adjusted Gross Income (thousands) | $4,038,282 |
| Irs Income · Average AGI per return | $77,525 (vs Wisconsin $74,990) |
| Irs Income · Year | 2022 |
| Income Estimate | $109,678 |
| Median Household Income | $100,357 (vs Wisconsin $73,427) |
| Poverty Rate | 2.0% |
Sources: IRS SOI 2022 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Economic Character
Qualitative classification derived from Census occupation, industry, and income data — workforce composition (white-collar/blue-collar), top employing sector, and income tier.
| Economic Character · Workforce | mixed |
|---|---|
| Economic Character · Top Industry | Manufacturing |
| Economic Character · Income Level | affluent |
| Economic Character · Median Income | $100,357 |
Employment & Workforce
Employment + workforce stats. The county-level employment count covers all jobs within the county, not just town residents. Unemployment rate 1.9% — below the U.S. average of ~4%. 11% work from home (U.S. average ~15%).
| Commuter Profile · Mean Commute Min | 26.90 |
|---|---|
| Commuter Profile · Work From Home Pct | 11.1% |
| Commuter Profile · Profile | moderate commute |
| Employment · Avg annual employment (county) | 45,047 |
| Employment · Total annual wages (county) | $2,623,451,711 |
| Employment · Average annual pay | $58,238 |
| Employment · Year | 2024 |
| State Occupation Wages · Year | 2023 |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Soc Code | 00-0000 |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Title | All Occupations |
| State Occupation Wages · All Occupations · Employment | 2,885,990 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.9% (vs Wisconsin 2.2%) |
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Industry Sectors
Major industries by establishment count from Census County Business Patterns (2022). Sectors are NAICS-coded; counts are county-wide employer establishments.
| Agriculture · Total Farms | 31 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture · Land In Farms Acres | 92,129 |
| Agriculture · Avg Farm Size Acres | 2,971.90 |
| Agriculture · Top Commodities | Animal Totals, Milk, Crop Totals, Grain, Corn |
| Agriculture · Year | 2022 |
| Business Patterns · Establishments (employer count) | 2,222 |
| Business Patterns · Total Employees | 41,989 |
| Business Patterns · Annual Payroll Thousands | 2,267,884 |
| Business Patterns · Year | 2022 |
Sources: USDA NASS Census 2022 — county FIPS matched · Census CBP API — county FIPS match
Local Business Mix
Retail and service businesses by category (Census CBP NAICS-coded). Counts cover the surrounding county, not just the town. Reflects the everyday commercial mix residents can access.
| Local Businesses · Grocery Stores | 13 |
|---|---|
| Local Businesses · Liquor Stores | 4 |
| Local Businesses · Gas Stations | 41 |
| Local Businesses · General Merchandise | 20 |
| Local Businesses · Pet Stores | 3 |
| Local Businesses · Electronics Stores | 7 |
| Local Businesses · New Car Dealers | 10 |
| Local Businesses · Used Car Dealers | 5 |
Sources: Census CBP — NAICS detail codes
Dining Scene
Eating + drinking establishments by NAICS category (Census CBP 2022) — full-service restaurants, fast-food, bars, coffee shops. County-level counts.
| Dining Scene · Full Service Restaurants | 79 |
|---|---|
| Dining Scene · Fast Food | 66 |
| Dining Scene · Bars | 42 |
| Dining Scene · Coffee Snacks | 15 |
Sources: Census CBP NAICS 722
Banking
FDIC-insured bank branches with addresses. Branch density correlates with population — fewer branches per resident in lower-density areas.
Branches (10)
SNAP & Food Access
USDA-authorized SNAP retailers — supermarkets, super stores, convenience stores, and other locations where SNAP benefits can be redeemed. Per-1K density tracks food access.
Sample (3)
| Nearest Snap · Name | Rstore 4511 |
|---|---|
| Nearest Snap · Distance | 1.0 mi |
Sources: USDA SNAP — nearest by coordinates
Chamber of Commerce
IRS-registered chamber of commerce organizations matched to this town. Reflects the IRS Exempt Organizations BMF; some chambers operate informally and may not appear here.
| Chamber Of Commerce · Name | BIRCHWOOD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INC |
|---|
Sources: IRS EO BMF · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Spending & Tax
Federal spending flowing to the surrounding county — direct payments, grants, contracts, loans (USAspending.gov).
| Federal Spending · Federal Spending Fy2024 | $682,853,492 |
|---|---|
| Federal Spending · Per Capita | 6,556.19 (vs Wisconsin $6,238) |
| Federal Spending · Population | 104,154 people (vs Wisconsin 25,785) |
Sources: USAspending API
Other
| Pct Drove Alone | 83.9% |
|---|---|
| Pct Walked | 11.1% |
| Retirement Score · Median age | 43.0 years (vs Wisconsin 38.3y) |
| Retirement Score · Ss Household Pct | 28.4% |
| Retirement Score · Hospitals Nearby | 4 |
| Retirement Score · Va Access | Yes |
| Retirement Score · Factors | older population, hospital access, VA nearby |
| Retirement Score · Rating | good |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12