United States › Wisconsin › Wausau CITY · 2020 ACS
Wausau Wisconsin · 39,994 residents · 19.2 sq mi
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The short version
Wausau is a city of 39,994 people in Wisconsin. Median home value sits at $121,100. The average commute runs 15 minutes. Households here earn about 25% less than in Wisconsin as a whole. 7% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 57% of the housing stock.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 38.8
Average education
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K 38K 39K 39K 40K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wausau Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $47,438
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,831 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $20,227 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 7.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.6%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$121,100
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$767
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $473 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 61.7% in 2000
43.4% rent
from 2.21 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 85.4%(32,802)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 77.2%(30,857)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(1,650)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data from 21.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 80.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 9.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 67.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 13.9%(300)
Share of the 2,162 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
Weston
Income $78,207 +65%
Home value $229,300 +89%
Population 15,931 −60%
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WAUSAU VS
Kronenwetter
Income $115,044 +143%
Home value $273,300 +126%
Population 8,413 −79%
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WAUSAU VS
Merrill
Income $53,148 +12%
Home value $123,800 +2%
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WAUSAU VS
Antigo
Income $45,520 −4%
Home value $104,800 −13%
Population 8,060 −80%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wausau, Wisconsin? Wausau, Wisconsin has about 39,994 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wausau, Wisconsin? The typical household in Wausau, Wisconsin earns about $47,438 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 $121,100, and the typical rent is about $767 a month.
How educated are people in Wausau, Wisconsin? About 28.4% 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 15.8% 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 2,934 residents, a change of about 8 percent over that period.
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