CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Wausau Metro

Wausau, WI · 1 counties · 138,013 residents · 1,545 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Wausau is home to 138,013 people. The foreign-born share is 4%. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $161,500. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average. 26% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
26% 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

Total population
138,013
+10%since 2000
from 125,834 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
89 / sq mi
+10%since 2000
from 81 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
41.1
+13%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
1,545 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
113K120K127K134K141K19902000201020202024Wausau
2024138K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.7%(7,817)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(8,635)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.7%(9,284)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.2%(8,489)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(7,111)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.2%(16,799)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.3%(17,036)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.6%(17,332)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.5%(19,972)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.7%(14,715)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.5%(7,572)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.4%(3,251)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,029
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,165 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$33,608
+62%since 2000
from $20,703 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
41.9%
+11.3 ptssince 2009
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
8.8%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade20.2%
US avg: 10%
Information10.9%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services8.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration7.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade5.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing3.6%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction3.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$161,500
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $96,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$786
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $484 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
72.1%
−3.6 ptssince 2000
from 75.7% in 2000
27.9% rent
Persons per household
2.39 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.6
Unchangedsince 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(117,517)
Black0.3%(337)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(979)
Asian4.5%(5,703)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic86.1%(118,783)
Black0.8%(1,141)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(4,453)
Asian6.1%(8,431)
Other3.8%(5,200)
Segregation Score
33
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
Mexican2.2%(3,043)
Puerto Rican0.3%(380)
Spaniard0%(61)
Colombian0%(50)
Cuban0%(35)
Argentine0%(33)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong4.4%(5,998)
Asian Indian0.2%(286)
Vietnamese0.2%(217)
Chinese0.1%(170)
Filipino0.1%(145)
Korean0.1%(128)
Laotian0.1%(128)
Japanese0%(39)
Cambodian0%(33)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(30)
Ancestry
German48.8%(66,179)
Polish16.5%(22,412)
Irish7.6%(10,316)
English5.3%(7,182)
Norwegian4.8%(6,514)
French3.5%(4,753)
American2.7%(3,654)
Czech2.3%(3,132)
Italian2.2%(2,915)
Swedish2%(2,750)
Dutch1.6%(2,125)
French Canadian1.4%(1,859)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Finnish0.8%(1,116)
Swiss0.8%(1,082)
Scottish0.7%(969)
Danish0.5%(717)
Russian0.5%(664)
Austrian0.4%(508)
British0.4%(485)
Welsh0.4%(482)
Hungarian0.4%(478)
Ukrainian0.3%(449)
Belgian0.3%(433)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(411)
Slovak0.2%(222)
Croatian0.2%(212)
Lithuanian0.1%(202)
Greek0.1%(189)
Slovene0.1%(145)
Canadian0.1%(136)
Latvian0.1%(107)
Arab0.1%(88)
Romanian0.1%(81)
Portuguese0.1%(72)
Lebanese0%(54)
Egyptian0%(37)
Armenian0%(31)
Jamaican0%(21)
Syrian0%(8)
Serbian0%(8)
Israeli0%(7)
Iranian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.2%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.4%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 83.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
8.0%
+2.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.2 min
+68%since 2000
from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
80.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
67.9%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 71.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
81.6%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
35.5%
+5.5 ptssince 2009
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Female
49.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Foreign born
3.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
6.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2013
from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
90.4%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.4%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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

Uninsured
6.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2013
from 8.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
61.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.0%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
19.1%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
16.2%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
75.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
32.6%
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)17.1%(1,321)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)18.2%(1,411)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era37.1%(2,873)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.2%(558)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.1%(165)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 7,743 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
In this metro

Largest cities

WausauCENTRAL40,188Weston15,931Kronenwetter8,413Rib Mountain7,280Rothschild5,627Mosinee4,529Maine2,621Schofield2,311Spencer1,809Stratford1,619Marathon City1,547Edgar1,425Athens1,190Birnamwood730Hatley661Elderon150Fenwood140Knowlton91
What's inside

1 component county

Marathon CountyCENTRAL139,432
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Wausau

Lebanon
Pop 146,380
Albany
Pop 132,843
Harrisonburg
Pop 140,155
Glens Falls
Pop 124,373
Places similar to Wausau
Head to head

Compare Wausau side by side

WAUSAU VS
Lebanon
Income$78,425+24%
Home value$242,000+50%
Population146,380+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUSAU VS
Albany
Income$76,329+21%
Home value$376,400+133%
Population132,843−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUSAU VS
Harrisonburg
Income$73,776+17%
Home value$307,785+91%
Population140,155+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUSAU VS
Glens Falls
Income$76,067+21%
Home value$233,211+44%
Population124,373−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wausau, WI?

Wausau, WI has about 138,013 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wausau, WI?

The typical household in Wausau, WI earns about $63,029 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wausau, WI expensive?

In Wausau, WI, the median home is worth about $161,500, and the typical rent is about $786 a month.

How educated are people in Wausau, WI?

About 26.2% of adults age 25 and over in Wausau, WI hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wausau, WI?

About 8.8% of people in Wausau, WI live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wausau, WI grown since 1990?

Yes, Wausau, WI has grown since 1990. The population has added about 22,613 residents, a change of about 20 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →