Merrill, WI

Census place 5551250 · pop 9,356

D−49/ 100
🫤 Rough
F
in WI
📍 Wisconsin ranks #7 of 50 states →
🏆 Disaster12/100 · top 1%
🚽 Obesity43.6% · bottom 6%
Taxes
1.95% property · US 0.99%5.72% sales · US 7.00%up to 7.65% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Adult obesity43.6%6

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

43.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Bachelor's degree or higher15.0%9

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

15.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Property-tax burden1.95%11

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.95% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Physical inactivity32.7%15

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

32.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking17.4%16

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

17.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$53,14817

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$53,148 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate17.4%25

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

17.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Broadband access89.3%33

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

89.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Income inequality0.4538

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Homeownership61.1%42

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

61.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health17.5%44

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

17.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Population growth (5yr)+2.7%49

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+2.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Uninsured adults9.0%55

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

9.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time18 min85

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$123,80092

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$123,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level12/10099

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

12/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Merrill: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Merrill, WI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Merrill scores 49/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 17 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is natural disaster risk and its weakest is adult obesity. Wisconsin overall ranks #7 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Merrill, WI expensive to live in?
Merrill has a median home value of $123,800 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Merrill, WI?
Its weakest measured area is adult obesity (43.6%) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Merrill, WI best at?
Its strongest measured area is natural disaster risk (12/100) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.