City Town Info

Portage, WI


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Portage, Wisconsin

Introduction to Portage, Wisconsin

Portage, Wisconsin, in Columbia county, is 32 miles N of Madison, Wisconsin and 85 miles NW of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. About 9,728 people live in Portage.

Portage History

Portage was originally inhabited by Native Americans. The city was named after the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, which ran between the Wisconsin River and the Fox River. Early French fur traders called the area "le portage." In the 1780s, traders established posts and warehouses in this area. Fort Winnebago was built in 1828 by the federal government. Portage became the county seat of Columbia County in 1851. It was incorporated as a city in 1854.

Portage and nearby Attractions

  • Northridge Mall Shopping Center
  • Silver Lake Beach
  • Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters
  • Circus World Museum
  • Historic Indian Agency House
  • Devils Lake State Park

Things To Do In Portage

The Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters and the Historic Indian Agency House provides insight into the area’s history. Local parks include the Blue Star Park, Riverside Park, Sunset Park, Collipp-Worden Park, Sanborn Park, Lincoln Park and Hamilton Street Park. Shopping is available at the Northridge Mall Shopping Center. Local celebrations include the Columbia County Fair, the White Feather Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow, the Festival of Flowers and YesterFest.

Portage Transportation

Dane County Regional Airport is nearby.

Portage Higher Education

The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Madison Area Technical College are the local colleges and universities.

High Points

Portage strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Wisconsin):

CategoryTrophy
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)		Top 5%trophyPortage Racial Diversity
Walking and Biking to Work
(vs. Peers)		Top 19%Portage Walking and Biking to Work

Comparative Profile of Portage, WI

Comparing Portage to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Wisconsin (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Male Share of the Population1010
Well-Paid Single Men78
Senior Citizens65
Racial Diversity610
Age of the Population44
Children Under 5 Years Old34
Female Share of the Population11

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Portion of People Married32
Average Household Size33

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
People Above Poverty65
People in Middle Class or Better65
Median Family Income54
College Educated Adults45

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Walking and Biking to Work98
Short Commute Times76
Public Transportation Use69
Working at Home43

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals910
People Living Alone98
Affordability of Rents86
Affordability of Property Taxes56
Seasonal and Vacation Housing44
Housing Recently Built22

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime74
Low Property Crime31

Detailed pages on related topics: Portage travel • Portage mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Portage Hotels & TravelPortage Hotels & Travel
Portage hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Portage MortgagePortage Mortgage
Portage property, mortgage, and real estate.

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