United States › Wisconsin › Wausau CITY
Wausau Wisconsin · 40,188 residents (2025 est.) · 19.2 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Wausau is a city of 39,996 people in Wisconsin. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $167,900. The average commute runs 15 minutes. Density works out to 2,080 people per square mile. Owners hold 58% of the housing stock. 8% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.2
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 38,426 in 2000
40,188 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,080 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 1,976 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K 38K 39K 39K 40K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wausau Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,389
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,831 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,227 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
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$167,900
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,010
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $473 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 61.7% in 2000
42.4% rent
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.22 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.21 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 85.4%(32,802)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 77.6%(31,022)
Hispanic / Latino 5.4%(2,169)
from 34 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 21.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 80.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 9.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 79.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 75.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 85.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 32.5%(5,449)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 33.4%(603)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.7%(248)
Share of the 1,805 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Wausau Head to head
Compare Wausau to nearby cities WAUSAU VS
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WAUSAU VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wausau, Wisconsin? Wausau, Wisconsin has about 39,996 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wausau, Wisconsin? The typical household in Wausau, Wisconsin earns about $64,389 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wausau, Wisconsin expensive? In Wausau, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $167,900, and the typical rent is about $1,010 a month.
How educated are people in Wausau, Wisconsin? About 30.9% of adults age 25 and over in Wausau, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wausau, Wisconsin? About 14.6% of people in Wausau, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wausau, Wisconsin grown since 1990? Yes, Wausau, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,936 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.
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