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COUNTY

Marathon County

Wisconsin · 139,432 residents (2025 est.) · 1,545 sq mi
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The short version

Marathon County is home to 138,403 people in Wisconsin. Few US counties rank higher on income. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $219,600, having more than doubled since 2000. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 25%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

138,403
+10%since 2000
from 125,834 in 2000
139,432 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
90 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 84 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
41.3
+14%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,545 sq mi
Population, 19902024
113K120K127K134K141K19902000201020202024Marathon County
2024138K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.5%(7,670)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(8,406)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(9,234)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.2%(8,571)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(7,388)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412%(16,604)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.9%(17,809)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(16,658)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.1%(19,510)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.2%(15,544)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.6%(7,700)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.4%(3,309)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$77,884
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,165 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$41,413
+100%since 2000
from $20,703 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
51.9%
+21.3 ptssince 2009
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
8.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.417
+4%since 2010
from 0.399 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade20.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services7.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration7.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing3.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$219,600
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$999
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $484 in 2000
US average: $1,442
73.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2000
from 75.7% in 2000
26.7% rent
5.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.36 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
14.4%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
38.9%
+5.0 ptssince 2009
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.8
+10%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(117,517)
Black0.3%(337)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(979)
Asian4.5%(5,703)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic86.2%(119,281)
Black0.6%(800)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(4,893)
Asian5.7%(7,842)
Other4%(5,587)
31
+64%since 2009
from 19 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
30
−8%since 2020
from 33 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.4%(3,364)
Nicaraguan0.3%(426)
Puerto Rican0.2%(302)
Spaniard0.1%(94)
Colombian0.1%(90)
Cuban0%(68)
Dominican0%(56)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong4.4%(6,026)
Asian Indian0.3%(384)
Filipino0.3%(359)
Chinese0.3%(353)
Kazakh0.2%(345)
Vietnamese0.1%(98)
Japanese0%(64)
Laotian0%(50)
Korean0%(33)
Cambodian0%(15)
Taiwanese0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
German46.9%(64,847)
Polish14.5%(20,105)
Irish7.9%(10,892)
English5.8%(8,063)
Norwegian4.3%(5,954)
American3%(4,100)
French2.3%(3,217)
Swedish2.2%(3,018)
Italian2%(2,719)
Dutch1.8%(2,521)
Czech1.8%(2,430)
French Canadian1.1%(1,557)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.7%(1,030)
Scottish0.7%(979)
Danish0.6%(772)
Finnish0.5%(675)
Russian0.4%(616)
Austrian0.4%(537)
Welsh0.3%(425)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(421)
Ukrainian0.3%(359)
Belgian0.2%(270)
British0.2%(258)
Croatian0.2%(231)
Hungarian0.2%(230)
Slovak0.2%(224)
Lithuanian0.2%(219)
Greek0.1%(190)
Arab0.1%(166)
West Indian0.1%(124)
Jamaican0.1%(124)
Slovene0.1%(110)
Portuguese0.1%(108)
Canadian0.1%(92)
Romanian0.1%(72)
Syrian0%(58)
Lebanese0%(53)
Nigerian0%(45)
Latvian0%(36)
Bulgarian0%(28)
Serbian0%(19)
Brazilian0%(15)
Turkish0%(7)
Iranian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

28.1%
+9.8 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.3%
+9.6 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
8.4%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

19.1 min
+67%since 2000
from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
76.2%
−6.2 ptssince 2009
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
7.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
12.9%
+9.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
1.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.4%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
4.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

2.9%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
66.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 71.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
82.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
11.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
37.7%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

50.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
49.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
4.3%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
6.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
12.8%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 10.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
5.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2013
from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
90.0%
+11.5 ptssince 2017
from 78.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.2%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
89.4%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 88.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
92.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 91.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
2.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 2.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.5%(18,509)
Married55.3%(31,537)
Widowed2.5%(1,418)
Divorced9.8%(5,563)
Women 15+
Never married25.4%(14,216)
Married54.5%(30,546)
Widowed8.4%(4,710)
Divorced11.8%(6,594)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

5.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2013
from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
59.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 61.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
20.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
17.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 16.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.4%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 75.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 32.6% 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)25.8%(1,868)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(1,100)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.7%(2,511)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.6%(331)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(46)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 7,241 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Marathon County, Wisconsin?

Marathon County, Wisconsin has about 138,403 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Marathon County, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Marathon County, Wisconsin earns about $77,884 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Marathon County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Marathon County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $219,600, and the typical rent is about $999 a month.

How educated are people in Marathon County, Wisconsin?

About 28.1% of adults age 25 and over in Marathon County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Marathon County, Wisconsin?

About 8.7% of people in Marathon County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Marathon County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Marathon County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 23,003 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →