Portage is a city in and the county seat of Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,581 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city in Columbia County. The city is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Portage was named for the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, a portage between the Fox River and the Wisconsin River, which was recognized by Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet during their discovery of a route to the Mississippi River in 1673. The city's slogan is "Where the North Begins."
| Ethnicity | Portage | USA |
|---|---|---|
| White | 86.6% | 60.1% |
| African American | 4.7% | 12.2% |
| American Indian | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 5.6% |
| Hawaiian | 0% | 0.2% |
| Multiracial | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 4.6% | 18.2% |
| Other | 0% | 0.3% |
| HOUSEHOLD INCOME | Portage | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 7.4% | 5.8% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3.7% | 4.1% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 11% | 8.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 11.6% | 8.6% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 13.7% | 12.0% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 19.6% | 17.2% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 13.5% | 12.8% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 14.8% | 15.6% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2.4% | 7.1% |
| Education | Portage | USA |
|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 3% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 6% | 7.0% |
| High School or GED | 41% | 27.0% |
| Other College | 24% | 20.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 10% | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 10% | 20.0% |
| Master's Degree | 4% | 9.0% |
| Professional Degree | 1% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 1% | 1.0% |