Jobs, pay and daily life in Eau Claire, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Eau Claire is a city in Wisconsin with 70,322 residents. The median household earns $67,395 a year and the median rent is $1,045 a month, which is 18.6% of the median household income. It is part of the Eau Claire, WI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 86,060 jobs.
How Eau Claire compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Eau Claire is #8 by population, #70 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #15 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #60 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Eau Claire County, is #16 of 72 counties for average pay ($58,079).
Eau Claire has 70,322 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 34 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,048 people per square mile. The median age is 32.9, 18% younger than the state median (32.9 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,045 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($1,045 against $1,087). Over a year that is 18.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $247,600, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($67,395); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 54.4% of households own their home, 20% below the state average (54.4% against 67.8%).
The Eau Claire, WI metropolitan area has 86,060 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,100 a year, 6% below the national median ($48,100 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (9,730 jobs, median $46,420); transportation and material moving (8,640 jobs, median $45,010); sales and related (8,280 jobs, median $36,270). The area is most specialised in production (1.4 times) and healthcare support (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($90,490) and production ($48,520). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Eau Claire County was 2.6%. 69.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Eau Claire County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.7% drive alone, 1.4% use public transit, 3.1% walk, 12.4% work from home. 5.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 48% below the state average (5.3% against 10.2%).
36.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% above the state share (36.7% against 33.4%). 3.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 26% below the state share (3.8% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 14.3%, 35% above the state rate (14.3% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 12°F (-11.1°C). About 908 mm (36 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (130 mm) and Jan the driest (23 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Chippewa Falls (10 miles, rent 13% lower); Menomonie (21 miles, rent 7% lower); Winona (54 miles, rent 16% lower); River Falls (55 miles, rent 6% higher). Rent differences are against Eau Claire; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideEau Claire CountyWisconsin rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in Wisconsin (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Wisconsin →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,890 | 1.21 | $34,340 | $28,620 | $42,530 | -4% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,650 | 1.23 | $34,000 | $26,650 | $46,190 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,420 | 1.29 | $93,410 | $76,320 | $120,680 | -4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,370 | 1.11 | $28,070 | $22,400 | $35,290 | -10% |
| Cashiers | 2,190 | 1.28 | $31,440 | $24,040 | $36,630 | -4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,160 | 1.32 | $45,320 | $31,220 | $55,420 | +13% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,710 | 1.09 | $34,790 | $29,110 | $46,260 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,510 | 1.11 | $44,250 | $29,370 | $59,610 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,480 | 1.30 | $57,220 | $42,600 | $75,200 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,400 | 1.14 | $37,230 | $30,530 | $46,610 | +1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,340 | 0.93 | $45,930 | $32,200 | $62,790 | +3% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,160 | 0.92 | $29,720 | $16,030 | $62,830 | -16% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,120 | 1.44 | $44,680 | $34,120 | $56,940 | +0% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,100 | 1.37 | $43,150 | $36,950 | $50,530 | +2% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 990 | 1.96 | $41,310 | $29,180 | $48,650 | +9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 970 | 0.50 | $103,330 | $55,930 | $212,440 | -2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 920 | 1.09 | $53,890 | $36,240 | $75,290 | +9% |
| Bartenders | 920 | 2.20 | $22,990 | $16,890 | $41,450 | -33% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 900 | 1.32 | $61,990 | $37,160 | $123,070 | -14% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 820 | 1.04 | $38,370 | $28,110 | $47,780 | +4% |
These figures are for the whole Eau Claire, WI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,100 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.8% |
| Retail trade | 18.2% |
| Manufacturing | 11.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.2% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Public administration | 3.1% |
| Construction | 2.2% |
| Information | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Eau Claire lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Chippewa County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire County | 107,116 | $8,430 million | $78,702 | 58,758 | 3,254 | $58,079 | +1.3% | 2.6% | 61,428 |
| Chippewa County | 66,799 | $3,854 million | $57,699 | 26,613 | 1,963 | $53,189 | +0.9% | 2.7% | 34,881 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 12,905 | 25.0% | $71,834 | 1.53 |
| Retail trade | 7,840 | 15.2% | $33,893 | 1.34 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,650 | 10.9% | $20,825 | 1.06 |
| Manufacturing | 5,003 | 9.7% | $64,806 | 1.04 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,737 | 5.3% | $51,106 | 1.10 |
| Management of companies | 2,551 | 4.9% | $107,363 | 2.58 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,252 | 4.4% | $84,529 | 0.97 |
| Construction | 2,240 | 4.3% | $71,840 | 0.73 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,192 | 4.2% | $41,753 | 0.63 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,171 | 4.2% | $81,484 | 0.53 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,764 | 3.4% | $37,474 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,518 | 2.9% | $85,544 | 0.64 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 986 | 1.9% | $17,957 | 1.00 |
| Real estate and rental | 694 | 1.3% | $48,153 | 0.76 |
| Information | 571 | 1.1% | $70,301 | 0.52 |
| Educational services | 402 | 0.8% | $37,275 | 0.33 |
| Utilities | 134 | 0.3% | $100,782 | 0.60 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.7% |
| Public transit | 1.4% |
| Walk | 3.1% |
| Work from home | 12.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,395 |
| Income per person | $39,434 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,045 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.6% |
| Median home value | $247,600 |
| Homeowners | 54.4% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,100 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 96.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.7% |
| Born abroad | 3.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -11.1 | 12 | 23 |
| Feb | -9.6 | 15 | 31 |
| Mar | -1.5 | 29 | 48 |
| Apr | 6.0 | 43 | 86 |
| May | 12.8 | 55 | 114 |
| Jun | 18.7 | 66 | 130 |
| Jul | 21.7 | 71 | 102 |
| Aug | 20.3 | 69 | 111 |
| Sep | 16.0 | 61 | 97 |
| Oct | 7.5 | 46 | 84 |
| Nov | 0.2 | 32 | 41 |
| Dec | -7.3 | 19 | 41 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Falls | WI | 10 mi | 14,782 | $57,873 | $910 |
| Menomonie | WI | 21 mi | 16,539 | $56,889 | $970 |
| Winona | MN | 54 mi | 26,009 | $56,337 | $882 |
| River Falls | WI | 55 mi | 16,719 | $83,627 | $1,107 |
| Red Wing | MN | 57 mi | 16,758 | $67,192 | $969 |
| Hudson | WI | 61 mi | 14,959 | $93,937 | $1,359 |
| Onalaska | WI | 66 mi | 19,348 | $85,867 | $1,130 |
| Marshfield | WI | 66 mi | 18,700 | $58,407 | $842 |
| Hastings | MN | 67 mi | 22,117 | $93,998 | $1,183 |
| Stillwater | MN | 67 mi | 19,355 | $105,853 | $1,622 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
70,322 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,045 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.6% of the median household income.
$67,395 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.6% (BLS county, Eau Claire County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.