Green County, located in south central Wisconsin, has a population of 36,909 (2012 Population Estimate, US Census). From 2000 to 2010, Green County has seen a population increase of 9.5%, which is slightly higher than the rate of growth in the state overall (6%). According to the US Census Bureau, Green County is considered non-metropolitan, or rural, but is bordered to the north by Dane County and to the east by Rock County, both considered urban and containing Metropolitan Statistical Areas.  Being contiguous to these two counties has had a positive impact on the in-migration rate for the county, with the largest increases in population over the past several years in the towns of Exeter (60%), York (49%), and New Glarus (42%), all of which are close to the metropolitan areas in neighboring counties.

In 2010, Green County’s Labor Force Participation Rate was the same as the state’s and relatively high, with 69% of those eligible to work in the workforce.  Likewise, the unemployment rate is relatively low compared to the state, with the April 2013 unemployment rate (worknet.wisconsin.gov) in Green County of 6.8% compared to 7.2% for the state.  Roughly 35% of the workers who live in Green County commute to Dane or Rock Counties for jobs.  Since 1990 the number of commuters to Dane County has doubled.  (Wisconsin, DWD, Office of Economic Advisors, January 2011).  According to the 2010 Census, on the average, Green County workers travel 22.6 minutes to work.

Green County’s population is aging.  In 2010, Green County had a higher median age, 41.1 years, than the state as a whole (38.5 years).  The percent of population over the age of 65 is also higher (14.9%) in Green County than in the state as a whole (13.7%).  Currently, 15.2% of Green County’s population is over the age of 65 years.  By the year 2020, Green County’s population is projected to grow by 14.3%.  While some of this growth will be attributed to the in-migration of younger populations, the percent of population 65 years and over is projected to grow to 32% by 2020.  The population under twenty years is projected to decline from 28.8% to 25.3% by the year 2020.

Green County has less racial and ethnic diversity and fewer foreign-born residents than in other areas of the state and in the United States.  According to the 2000 census, 98.1% of Green County’s population was white as compared to 88.9% of the state’s population.  The racial make-up of the County according to the 2000 US census is reported in the following table:

	2000	2000	2010	2010
Race	Green County %	Wisconsin %	Green County %	Wisconsin %
White persons	98.1%	88.9%	97.8%	88.4%
Black or African American persons	0.3%	5.7%	.5%	6.5%
American Indian an Alaska Native persons	0.2%	0.9%	.2%	1.1%
Asian persons	0.3%	1.7%	.6%	2.4%
Persons reporting some other race	0.4%	1.6%	N/A	N/A
Persons reporting two or more races	0.8%	1.2%	.9%	1.6%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin	1.0%	3.6%	2.9%	6.1%
White persons, not of Hispanic/Latino origin	97.7%	87.3%	95%	83.1%

Source: US Census Bureau, 2000, 2010

Most of the foreign-born residents in Green County were born in European countries, followed by those from Latin America and Asia. Out of a total foreign-born population in 2000 of 435 people, 244 moved to the county prior to 1980. (Wisconsin, DWD, Office of Economic Advisors, January 2004).

The percentage of persons living in poverty in Green County is 9.7%. This compares to 12% for the state of Wisconsin. Green County also has a growing percentage of children living in poverty.  This number has risen from 9.9% in 2007 to 14.5% in 2011, growing faster than the state’s child poverty rate, which went from 14.5% to 16.4% in the same period.  Green County’s median household income is close to Wisconsin’s median household income, $53,933 and $52,374 respectively.  Green County’s per capita money income of $26,852 compared to $27,192 for the state.  All income and poverty related data are based on the 2007-2011 US Census American Community Survey.