Taylor County

Taylor County is a largely rural county in north-central Wisconsin, situated in the state’s Northwoods region. It lies between the upper reaches of the Wisconsin River watershed and the forested uplands that extend toward Lake Superior, with a landscape shaped by glaciation, mixed hardwood–conifer forests, and numerous streams and wetlands. Created in 1875 from land formerly administered as part of neighboring counties, Taylor County developed around logging and sawmilling and later expanded into dairy farming and other forms of agriculture. Today it remains small in population, with just under 20,000 residents, and is characterized by low-density communities, a strong emphasis on outdoor land use, and an economy anchored by agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, and local services. The county seat and largest city is Medford.

Taylor County is a north-central Wisconsin county anchored by the City of Medford and surrounding rural communities. It lies within the broader Northwoods region and is administered from the county seat in Medford (see the Taylor County official website for local government and planning resources).

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Taylor County, Wisconsin, the county’s population was 20,111 (2020), with a 2023 population estimate of 19,742.

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau (QuickFacts) reports the following age distribution (percent of total population):

• Under 5 years: 5.1%
• Under 18 years: 22.2%
• 65 years and over: 20.5%

Gender ratio: The U.S. Census Bureau’s county-level breakdown of male/female shares is reported via the county’s detailed profile tables rather than consistently summarized in QuickFacts. A definitive county sex distribution can be obtained from the official Census profile tables (e.g., DP05) via data.census.gov.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (QuickFacts), Taylor County’s racial and ethnic composition includes:

• White alone: 96.7%
• Black or African American alone: 0.3%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.6%
• Asian alone: 0.5%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 1.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 1.9%

Household & Housing Data

From the U.S. Census Bureau (QuickFacts):

• Households (2018–2022): 7,922
• Persons per household (2018–2022): 2.38
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2018–2022): 76.6%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units (2018–2022, dollars): $142,500
• Median selected monthly owner costs, with a mortgage (2018–2022, dollars): $1,187
• Median selected monthly owner costs, without a mortgage (2018–2022, dollars): $464
• Median gross rent (2018–2022, dollars): $719

Taylor County, Wisconsin is a largely rural county with dispersed settlements, so distance from service hubs and lower population density can constrain fixed-network buildout and make digital communication more dependent on available broadband or mobile coverage. Direct county-level email usage statistics are generally not published; email adoption is therefore summarized using proxy indicators such as household broadband subscriptions, computer access, and age structure.

Digital access indicators for Taylor County can be sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov (American Community Survey tables covering computer and internet subscription). Age distribution, also available via the ACS on data.census.gov, is relevant because older populations tend to have lower adoption of online services, including email, compared with prime working-age adults.

Gender distribution is typically near parity in ACS county profiles and is not a primary explanatory factor for email access compared with age and connectivity constraints.

Connectivity limitations are best characterized using federal broadband availability and mapping data, including the FCC National Broadband Map, which documents provider coverage and technology types that affect reliability and speeds in rural areas.

County context (location, rurality, terrain, density)

Taylor County is in north-central Wisconsin, with the City of Medford as the county seat. The county is predominantly rural, with extensive forest and agricultural land and a relatively low population density compared with Wisconsin’s urban counties. These characteristics tend to produce larger cell sites, more “edge-of-cell” coverage areas, and more variable indoor service quality than in denser metros. Basic county geography and population statistics are available from the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts page for Taylor County.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability refers to where mobile operators report service (e.g., 4G LTE or 5G coverage) and is typically mapped at the location level.
• Household adoption refers to whether residents subscribe to mobile service and/or rely on mobile for internet access (for example, smartphone ownership or “cellular data only” households). Adoption is measured through surveys and administrative datasets and is often reported at state, metro, or broader geographies rather than at the county level.

County-level availability can be assessed using federal broadband mapping datasets, while county-level adoption metrics are often limited or modeled rather than directly surveyed.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (availability and adoption measures)

Network availability indicators (reported coverage)

• FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) mobile coverage provides carrier-reported, location-based coverage polygons for LTE and 5G and is the primary federal source for mapping availability of mobile broadband service. The FCC’s mapping interface and data access are provided through the FCC National Broadband Map.

  • Limitation: These data show reported coverage, not measured performance, and do not indicate subscription rates.

• State broadband planning resources often summarize broadband availability and may include mobile perspectives alongside fixed broadband. Wisconsin’s statewide broadband office resources are available via the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) Broadband page.

  • Limitation: State materials commonly emphasize fixed broadband; mobile-specific adoption is not consistently published at the county level.

Household adoption indicators (subscriptions and “mobile-only” reliance)

• Direct county-level smartphone ownership or mobile subscription rates are not consistently published as official statistics for Taylor County. The most commonly cited adoption measures at fine geographies come from surveys that are reported at the state or national level rather than county.
• U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) provides county-level indicators for some connectivity concepts (primarily for fixed internet subscriptions and computer access). Relevant tables can be accessed through data.census.gov.
  • Limitation: ACS internet subscription categories focus on subscription types and household computer/internet access; “smartphone ownership” and granular “mobile broadband subscription” measures are not always available in a way that cleanly isolates smartphone-based access for every county/year.

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G and 5G availability vs. usage)

Availability (4G LTE and 5G)

• 4G LTE is typically the baseline mobile broadband layer across most rural Wisconsin counties, including Taylor County, with coverage concentrated along highways, towns, and populated corridors. The most authoritative public coverage visualization is the FCC National Broadband Map, which allows inspection by location and technology (including LTE and 5G).
• 5G availability in rural counties is often geographically uneven, with stronger presence near population centers and along major travel routes, and weaker presence in forested or sparsely populated areas. The FCC map provides the best standardized view of where 5G is reported as available.
  • Limitation: The FCC map does not, by itself, quantify real-world throughput or reliability and does not indicate whether users have 5G-capable devices or plans.

Usage (what residents actually use)

• County-level breakdowns of actual 4G vs. 5G usage (share of connections by radio technology) are generally not published as official public statistics for Taylor County. Such metrics are typically held by carriers or commercial analytics providers and may not be publicly available at county resolution.
• Proxy indicators sometimes used in planning include device capability (5G handset prevalence), plan types, and speed-test datasets. However, speed-test results are not the same as adoption and can over-represent certain user groups; they also require careful geographic sampling to interpret. No official county-wide usage split is available as a definitive public statistic.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

• Smartphones are the dominant consumer mobile device type for voice, messaging, and mobile internet in the United States, including rural counties, and are typically the primary way households interact with mobile networks.
• Non-phone devices relevant to mobile connectivity in rural areas include:
  • Mobile hotspots / routers used for home internet where fixed broadband options are limited.
  • Tablets and laptops with cellular modems used for on-the-go connectivity.
  • IoT / M2M devices (farm equipment telematics, tracking, sensors) that may rely on LTE/5G where coverage exists.

Limitation: Public, authoritative county-level splits of “smartphones vs. basic phones vs. hotspots” are not commonly published for Taylor County. National surveys and private market research describe device distributions, but they do not provide definitive county-level device mix without modeled estimates.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Rural settlement pattern and distance to towers

• Lower population density increases the cost per covered household and tends to produce larger cell coverage footprints per site. This can reduce consistent high-capacity service in sparsely populated zones, particularly indoors and at the edges of coverage.

Forest cover, terrain, and indoor signal variability

• Taylor County’s extensive tree cover and dispersed housing contribute to signal attenuation and variability, especially for higher-frequency 5G layers where available. Reported coverage can be present while indoor performance remains inconsistent in some locations.

Transportation corridors and town centers

• Coverage typically aligns with travel corridors and town centers where traffic and population are concentrated. Availability maps in the FCC National Broadband Map are the most direct way to observe these patterns at the location level.

Household connectivity substitution (mobile as primary internet)

• In rural counties, some households rely on mobile data (smartphones or hotspots) due to limited fixed broadband options. The ACS provides county-level context on overall household internet access and broadband subscription patterns through data.census.gov.
  • Limitation: ACS metrics describe household internet subscription and device access broadly; they do not fully capture plan quality, data caps, or the extent to which mobile is the sole connection.

Summary of what is measurable at Taylor County level (and what is not)

• Measurable and publicly mappable (availability): carrier-reported LTE/5G availability via the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Partially measurable at county level (adoption proxies): household internet access/subscription context via data.census.gov (ACS), with limited ability to isolate smartphone-only reliance depending on table/year.
• Not consistently available as definitive county-level public statistics: mobile penetration rates (subscriptions per capita), share of users on 4G vs 5G, and detailed device-type distributions specific to Taylor County.

Taylor County is a largely rural county in north-central Wisconsin anchored by Medford (county seat) and surrounded by smaller towns and unincorporated communities. Its economy has historically been tied to agriculture, forestry/wood products, and manufacturing, alongside a strong local community and school-based activities. Lower population density and longer travel distances in rural north-central Wisconsin generally align with heavier reliance on mobile connectivity and community Facebook groups for local news, events, and marketplace activity.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Local (county-level) social media penetration: No authoritative, regularly published dataset provides county-specific social-media penetration for Taylor County.
• Best-available benchmark (U.S. adults): About 69% of U.S. adults use Facebook, and major shares use YouTube and Instagram; usage varies by age and other demographics per large national surveys such as the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Local context indicator (internet access): Social media use is constrained/enabled by broadband and smartphone access. County-level internet availability patterns in Wisconsin can be referenced through the FCC National Broadband Map (location-based availability), which is commonly used to contextualize digital access in rural counties.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

National survey patterns are the most reliable proxy for age differences likely reflected in Taylor County:

• Highest overall social platform use: Adults ages 18–29 show the highest usage across most major platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok), per the Pew Research Center.
• Broadest cross-age reach: Facebook and YouTube maintain wide usage across age groups, with Facebook comparatively stronger among 30–49 and 50–64 than youth-skewing platforms.
• Older adults: Social media use declines with age (especially 65+), but Facebook remains the primary platform among older cohorts compared with Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Gender breakdown

No authoritative public source provides a Taylor County–specific gender split for social media usage. Nationally:

• Platform differences: U.S. survey results typically show women more likely than men to use some platforms (notably Pinterest), while men and women are often closer on Facebook and Instagram usage, depending on the year and measure. The most consistent, citable breakdowns by gender appear in the Pew Research Center platform-by-demographic tables.
• Practical local implication: In rural communities, Facebook group participation and local marketplace activity frequently show strong participation among adults managing households and community coordination, which often correlates with higher engagement among women in community-oriented spaces (consistent with broader research patterns on community group use).

Most-used platforms (with percentages where possible)

County-level platform share is not published in a standardized public dataset; national usage remains the most reliable source for percentages:

• YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults (widest reach among major platforms).
• Facebook: ~69%.
• Instagram: ~47%.
• Pinterest: ~35%.
• TikTok: ~33%.
• LinkedIn: ~30%.
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22%.
• Snapchat: ~27%. (Percentages from the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet; figures are periodically updated.)

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

• Community information utility: In rural counties, Facebook typically functions as the default “community bulletin board,” concentrating engagement in local groups, event posts, school/sports updates, and buy/sell/trade listings. This aligns with Facebook’s broad adult reach shown in national surveys (Pew).
• Short-form video growth: TikTok and Instagram Reels reflect broader U.S. trends toward short-form video, especially among younger adults, with discovery driven by algorithmic feeds rather than local networks (Pew platform age patterns).
• Video as a primary format: YouTube’s high penetration supports widespread use for how-to content, news clips, and entertainment, including among older age groups (Pew).
• Messaging-centered interaction: Engagement increasingly occurs via private messages and small groups rather than public posting, a shift documented across major platforms and consistent with observed usage patterns in community networks.
• Platform role separation: Common behavioral segmentation mirrors national patterns: Facebook for local/community coordination; YouTube for long-form video; Instagram/TikTok for entertainment and creator content; LinkedIn for professional networking (more limited in smaller labor markets and among non-office occupations).

Note on data limitations: Public, methodologically consistent social-media usage metrics are typically reported at national or state levels rather than for individual counties. The most defensible percentages for “most-used platforms” and demographic skews come from large-scale surveys such as the Pew Research Center, while county digital-access context is commonly derived from the FCC National Broadband Map.

Taylor County, Wisconsin maintains family-related public records primarily through vital records and court files. Vital records include birth and death certificates recorded by the local register of deeds, while marriage and divorce records are generally reflected in state vital records systems and court case files. Adoption records are filed through the courts and are not generally available as public records.

Public databases relevant to family and associate records include Wisconsin’s statewide court case search for civil, family, and probate matters (Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA)) and the county’s property ownership and land-record indexes, which can identify household or associate connections via deeds and related filings (Taylor County Register of Deeds; Taylor County Land Information).

Records access occurs online through the linked databases and in person through county offices. The Register of Deeds serves as the local custodian for many recorded documents, and the Clerk of Circuit Court maintains court files and judgment/docket information (Taylor County Clerk of Circuit Court).

Privacy restrictions apply to certain vital records, sealed court matters, and adoption files; certified copies and some detailed records are limited to eligible requesters under Wisconsin confidentiality rules.

Types of records available

• Marriage records (marriage licenses/certificates)
  • In Wisconsin, couples apply for a marriage license through a county clerk and, after the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license for registration. The registered record is commonly issued as a certified marriage certificate (vital record).
• Divorce records (divorce judgments/decrees and case files)
  • Divorce is a civil court action resulting in a Judgment of Divorce (often referred to as a divorce decree) and an associated court case file (pleadings, findings, orders, and related documents).
• Annulment records
  • Annulments are also handled as civil court actions in Wisconsin circuit court and result in a judgment and related case file, maintained similarly to divorce matters.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records
  • Filed/registered: Taylor County marriage records are created through the Taylor County Clerk (issuing and registering marriage licenses). The official statewide repository for Wisconsin vital records is the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Vital Records Office.
  • Access:
    • Taylor County Clerk provides marriage license application/issuance services and may provide certified copies consistent with Wisconsin vital-records procedures.
    • Wisconsin Vital Records Office issues certified copies of marriage certificates for events filed in Wisconsin.
    • Statewide index/search: Wisconsin maintains online access points for vital-record lookups and ordering through the Vital Records Office (state-level ordering typically uses identity and eligibility checks).
      Reference: Wisconsin DHS Vital Records
• Divorce and annulment records
  • Filed/maintained: Divorce and annulment actions for Taylor County are filed in the Taylor County Circuit Court (part of Wisconsin Circuit Courts). The court maintains the official case record and judgment.
  • Access:
    • Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP) provides online docket/summary access for many case types and can show basic case information, parties, filings, and event history. Document images are generally not provided through CCAP for most family case filings. Reference: Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA/CCAP)
    • Clerk of Circuit Court (Taylor County) is the primary point of access for obtaining copies of divorce/annulment judgments and other documents from the court file, subject to confidentiality rules, redactions, and access limitations imposed by law and court order.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license/certificate records
  • Names of the parties
  • Date and place of marriage
  • Officiant information and date the marriage was performed
  • Age/date of birth and residence details (as recorded on the application)
  • Parents’ names and other application details (varies by form and time period)
  • License/record identifiers and filing/registration details
• Divorce records (judgment and case file)
  • Court caption (county, case number) and names of the parties
  • Date of filing and date of judgment
  • Findings and orders concerning legal status of the marriage
  • Orders related to legal custody/physical placement, child support, maintenance (spousal support), and property division, as applicable
  • Related orders (temporary orders, injunctions, revisions) and final judgment terms
• Annulment records (judgment and case file)
  • Similar court identifiers (case number, party names) and judgment date
  • Court findings supporting annulment and resulting orders (including property, support, and child-related provisions when applicable)

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records (vital records)
  • Wisconsin vital records are subject to state rules on certified copy eligibility, identity verification, and fee schedules. Access to certified copies is regulated by Wisconsin law and administrative procedures, and requesters may need to meet eligibility requirements depending on the type of copy and record.
• Divorce and annulment court records
  • Many family court case dockets are viewable through CCAP, but confidential information may be withheld from public display and certain documents may be sealed or otherwise restricted by statute or court order.
  • Minor children’s information, sensitive personal identifiers, and certain protected records (including specific financial account information and other confidential data) are commonly subject to redaction or restricted access under Wisconsin court rules and confidentiality provisions.
  • Certified copies of judgments and access to nonpublic documents are governed by Wisconsin public access rules, confidentiality statutes, and any case-specific court orders.

Taylor County is a rural county in north‑central Wisconsin anchored by the city of Medford and smaller communities such as Rib Lake, Stetsonville, and Gilman. The population is relatively small and dispersed, with an economy historically tied to manufacturing and natural resources; day‑to‑day community life is centered on school districts, small employers, and county services in Medford.

Education Indicators

Public schools and districts

Taylor County’s K‑12 public education is delivered primarily through local school districts serving Medford and surrounding towns/villages (including Medford Area, Rib Lake, Gilman, and nearby multi‑county districts that enroll Taylor County residents). A single authoritative countywide count and complete list of school names is not consistently published as a “Taylor County schools” inventory across datasets; the most reliable public directory is the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) school/district search tools (school names, grade spans, enrollments, and contacts): Wisconsin DPI.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Ratios vary by district and school level; district- and school-level staffing/enrollment metrics are reported annually by DPI rather than summarized as a single county ratio. DPI district/school report cards and staffing reports are the most consistent sources for the most recent ratios: Wisconsin School and District Report Cards.
• Graduation rates: Graduation outcomes are reported by district and high school (4‑year and extended rates). Countywide aggregation is not published as a standard headline metric; district report cards provide the most current graduation rates for Medford Area, Rib Lake, Gilman, and other enrolling districts.

Adult educational attainment

The most widely used “current” county benchmark comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5‑year estimates for educational attainment (population age 25+):

• High school diploma or higher: reported in ACS for Taylor County
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: reported in ACS for Taylor County
  The ACS table series (DP02/S1501) provides the county percentages and can be accessed through data.census.gov. (ACS 5‑year estimates are the standard proxy for small-area counties where single-year samples are limited.)

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP)

Program availability varies by district and typically includes:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE)/vocational offerings (e.g., agriculture, manufacturing, construction trades, business/marketing, family and consumer sciences), commonly delivered through district CTE pathways and regional partnerships.
• Advanced coursework through Advanced Placement (AP), dual enrollment, or transcripted technical college courses, depending on the high school. Publicly comparable program indicators (course access, CTE participation, AP exam participation where offered) are most consistently available via district course catalogs and DPI reporting dashboards and report cards: Wisconsin DPI Career and Technical Education.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Wisconsin public schools generally report:

• Emergency operations planning, visitor controls, and coordination with local law enforcement, consistent with statewide school safety guidance.
• Student services staffing (school counselors, social workers, psychologists) reported via DPI staffing collections; availability varies by district size. Statewide school safety and mental health supports are coordinated through DPI and partner initiatives, with high-level references available at Wisconsin DPI Student Services/Prevention and Wellness. School- and district-specific practices are typically documented in district handbooks and board policies rather than in a single county dataset.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year)

County unemployment rates are published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics and commonly reissued through state labor market profiles. The most recent annual rate for Taylor County is available via:

• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• Wisconsin DWD Labor Market Information
  (A single definitive numeric value is not provided here because the “most recent year” changes annually and requires pulling the latest release; these sources are the authoritative reference.)

Major industries and employment sectors

Taylor County’s employment base is typical of rural north‑central Wisconsin, with notable concentration in:

• Manufacturing (including wood products, fabricated products, and related production activity)
• Health care and social assistance
• Retail trade
• Educational services and public administration
• Construction and transportation/warehousing County industry composition can be quantified using ACS “Industry by occupation” and “Employment status” profiles and state labor market profiles:
• ACS industry and class-of-worker tables
• Wisconsin DWD county labor market profiles

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupational groups in similar rural counties include:

• Production and manufacturing occupations
• Office/administrative support
• Sales and related
• Transportation and material moving
• Management, business, and financial operations (smaller share than metro areas)
• Healthcare practitioners/support ACS occupational group tables provide the county distribution and are the standard comparable source for small counties: ACS occupation tables.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Mean commute time (minutes) and mode of transportation to work are published by ACS for Taylor County (DP03 commuting/transportation metrics): ACS commuting profiles.
• Rural counties in this region typically show high drive-alone shares and limited fixed-route transit usage; commuting often follows corridors toward Medford or to nearby employment centers in adjacent counties.

Local employment vs. out‑of‑county work

ACS “county-to-county commuting flows” and “place of work vs. residence” indicators provide the best proxy for the share working inside versus outside Taylor County. These flows can be accessed through:

• ACS commuting flow tables
• Census LEHD/OnTheMap (workplace–residence patterns and inflow/outflow)

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Homeownership and renter shares for Taylor County are published in ACS housing tenure tables (DP04). Rural Wisconsin counties typically have majority owner-occupied housing, with rentals concentrated in Medford and other small community centers. Official tenure percentages are available at ACS housing tenure (DP04).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median owner‑occupied home value for Taylor County is reported in ACS (DP04).
• Recent trend context: In rural north‑central Wisconsin, values generally increased during the late‑2010s through early‑2020s alongside statewide appreciation; precise year‑over‑year change for Taylor County is best measured using ACS time series or Wisconsin property sales/assessment reporting rather than a single static profile. Official median value estimates and related housing cost metrics are available via ACS home value tables. For assessed-value context and levy information, see Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) property tax resources.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent is reported by ACS (DP04).
  Rent levels in Taylor County tend to be lower than large metro Wisconsin counties, with the rental market dominated by small multifamily buildings, duplexes, and single‑family rentals, especially in Medford. The definitive median rent estimate is available through ACS rent tables.

Housing types

The county’s housing stock is predominantly:

• Single‑family detached homes (in towns and rural areas)
• Manufactured housing in some rural locations
• Small multifamily properties (apartments/duplexes) concentrated in Medford and village centers
  ACS “Units in structure” tables quantify the distribution: ACS units-in-structure (housing type).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

• Medford functions as the primary hub for schools, healthcare, retail, and county services, with neighborhoods generally offering shorter in-town trips to schools and amenities than rural townships.
• Outlying towns/villages and rural areas feature larger lots, agricultural/wooded land uses, and longer driving distances to schools, clinics, and grocery retail. Objective accessibility metrics (drive time and job/service access) are more consistently represented in mapping/commuting datasets than in a single county narrative profile; LEHD/OnTheMap and ACS commuting provide the strongest standardized proxies.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Wisconsin property taxes vary substantially by municipality, school district, and assessed value. Countywide “average rate” is not a single uniform figure because levies are determined across overlapping jurisdictions (county, municipality, school district, technical college, special districts). The most reliable references are:

• Wisconsin DOR levy and rate reporting (by municipality and tax district): Wisconsin DOR Property Tax
• Typical homeowner cost proxy: “Median real estate taxes paid” is reported in ACS (DP04) and provides a comparable countywide median annual tax payment for owner‑occupied housing: ACS property tax (real estate taxes paid)