Jobs, pay and daily life in Wausau, 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.
Wausau is a city in Wisconsin with 39,996 residents. The median household earns $64,389 a year and the median rent is $1,010 a month, which is 18.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Wausau, WI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 69,530 jobs.
How Wausau compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Wausau is #18 by population, #4 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #65 for household income (#1 = highest), #62 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Marathon County, is #17 of 72 counties for average pay ($57,976).
Wausau has 39,996 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.7% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 19 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,080 people per square mile. The median age is 38.2, 5% younger than the state median (38.2 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,010 a month (rent plus utilities), 7% below the state median ($1,010 against $1,087). Over a year that is 18.8% 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 $167,900, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($64,389); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.6% of households own their home, 15% below the state average (57.6% against 67.8%).
The Wausau, WI metropolitan area has 69,530 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,790 a year, 4% below the national median ($48,790 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (11,040 jobs, median $48,330); office and administrative support (7,770 jobs, median $46,920); transportation and material moving (6,820 jobs, median $44,670). The area is most specialised in production (2.9 times) and transportation and material moving (1.1 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($48,330) and office and administrative support ($46,920). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Marathon County was 2.5%. 65.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Marathon County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.6% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 2.6% walk, 14.3% work from home. 3.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 62% below the state average (3.9% against 10.2%).
30.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 8% below the state share (30.9% against 33.4%). 7.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 47% above the state share (7.6% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 14.6%, 38% above the state rate (14.6% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 69°F (20.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 12°F (-10.9°C). About 878 mm (35 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (121 mm) and Jan the driest (28 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: Weston (7 miles, similar rent); Stevens Point (31 miles, rent 12% lower); Marshfield (33 miles, rent 17% lower); Plover (35 miles, rent 8% higher). Rent differences are against Wausau; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideMarathon 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,110 | 3.35 | $45,670 | $37,560 | $56,110 | +2% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,840 | 1.40 | $43,460 | $31,810 | $55,850 | +8% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,830 | 1.21 | $89,190 | $77,380 | $115,210 | -9% |
| Cashiers | 1,660 | 1.20 | $30,480 | $22,840 | $36,650 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,660 | 0.95 | $34,160 | $26,520 | $46,920 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,460 | 1.59 | $58,520 | $45,360 | $74,260 | -0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,440 | 0.83 | $27,830 | $22,210 | $34,650 | -11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,330 | 0.69 | $35,910 | $27,560 | $42,710 | +0% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,170 | 1.06 | $44,660 | $29,320 | $60,870 | -1% |
| Food Batchmakers | 1,090 | 13.94 | $48,560 | $37,320 | $57,510 | +15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,020 | 0.80 | $36,440 | $28,300 | $44,800 | -2% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,000 | 0.86 | $46,260 | $34,840 | $61,260 | +3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,000 | 3.32 | $73,790 | $51,560 | $103,940 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 970 | 0.98 | $36,800 | $29,630 | $46,950 | -0% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 970 | 1.76 | $64,100 | $39,580 | $120,160 | -11% |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 930 | 5.00 | $55,780 | $48,130 | $64,840 | +4% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 830 | 1.21 | $55,650 | $36,900 | $72,410 | +12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 810 | 0.52 | $107,550 | $59,110 | $215,780 | +2% |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 790 | 1.94 | $39,670 | $28,550 | $48,620 | +4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 720 | 0.71 | $29,060 | $16,800 | $60,420 | -18% |
These figures are for the whole Wausau, WI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,790 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% |
| Manufacturing | 18.3% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.0% |
| Construction | 4.2% |
| Other services | 4.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.5% |
| Public administration | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Wausau lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County | 138,403 | $11,882 million | $85,851 | 70,626 | 3,960 | $57,976 | +0.9% | 2.5% | 74,367 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 18,252 | 30.7% | $67,358 | 3.15 |
| Health care and social assistance | 9,518 | 16.0% | $70,592 | 0.94 |
| Retail trade | 7,398 | 12.4% | $34,526 | 1.05 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,953 | 8.3% | $20,000 | 0.77 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,409 | 5.7% | $84,954 | 1.19 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,294 | 5.5% | $72,316 | 1.18 |
| Construction | 2,970 | 5.0% | $73,509 | 0.80 |
| Management of companies | 2,241 | 3.8% | $72,166 | 1.88 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,875 | 3.1% | $37,970 | 0.45 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,608 | 2.7% | $77,647 | 0.33 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,464 | 2.5% | $47,514 | 0.69 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,319 | 2.2% | $17,766 | 1.11 |
| Real estate and rental | 599 | 1.0% | $47,490 | 0.55 |
| Information | 412 | 0.7% | $62,957 | 0.31 |
| Educational services | 215 | 0.4% | $24,835 | 0.15 |
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 | 71.6% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 2.6% |
| Work from home | 14.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,389 |
| Income per person | $35,957 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,010 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.8% |
| Median home value | $167,900 |
| Homeowners | 57.6% |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,790 |
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 | 38.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 30.9% |
| Born abroad | 7.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 65.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -10.9 | 12 | 28 |
| Feb | -9.8 | 14 | 33 |
| Mar | -2.2 | 28 | 51 |
| Apr | 5.0 | 41 | 83 |
| May | 11.9 | 53 | 102 |
| Jun | 17.5 | 64 | 121 |
| Jul | 20.4 | 69 | 92 |
| Aug | 19.1 | 66 | 94 |
| Sep | 14.9 | 59 | 93 |
| Oct | 7.0 | 45 | 85 |
| Nov | -0.1 | 32 | 49 |
| Dec | -7.2 | 19 | 47 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston | WI | 7 mi | 15,749 | $78,207 | $1,024 |
| Stevens Point | WI | 31 mi | 25,785 | $58,031 | $890 |
| Marshfield | WI | 33 mi | 18,700 | $58,407 | $842 |
| Plover | WI | 35 mi | 13,884 | $88,042 | $1,089 |
| Wisconsin Rapids | WI | 40 mi | 18,722 | $55,253 | $888 |
| Fox Crossing | WI | 77 mi | 19,131 | $79,187 | $1,009 |
| Appleton | WI | 78 mi | 75,023 | $80,483 | $1,030 |
| Menasha | WI | 79 mi | 18,273 | $64,698 | $903 |
| Neenah | WI | 80 mi | 27,336 | $75,374 | $1,006 |
| Howard | WI | 82 mi | 21,087 | $85,477 | $1,102 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
39,996 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,010 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.8% of the median household income.
$64,389 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.5% (BLS county, Marathon County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.