County profile · Wisconsin
Marathon County, WI market data
How Marathon County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 139,432
- +1.0% since 2020
- Households
- 57,866
- Median household income
- $77,884
- +24.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $219,600
- Jobs located here
- 72,449
- Highest market score
- 75
- Car washes and detailing, #127 of 1,451 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Marathon County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Marathon County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Marathon County has an estimated 139,432 people and 57,866 households. Population estimates put the population change in Marathon County from 2020 to 2025 at +1.0%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Marathon County is $77,884, 4% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 24.4%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Marathon County runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (69).
Of the business types scored in Marathon County, car washes and detailers (75), tire shops (75) and barbershops (73) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For car washes and detailers, that ranks #127 of 1,451 scored counties.
Marathon County is part of the Wausau metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for chiropractors (31% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for child care centers and preschools (64% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Marathon County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Marathon County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car washes and detailing | 75 | #127 of 1,451 | 21 | 3.6 | $3.1M | 123 | 6 |
| Tire shops | 75 | #159 of 1,530 | 11 | 1.9 | $5.9M | 237 | 9 |
| Barbershops | 73 | #160 of 1,356 | 12 | 2.1 | $4.8M | 255 | 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 71 | #183 of 1,302 | 19 | 3.3 | $4.3M | 138 | 9 |
| Physical therapy | 71 | #196 of 1,422 | 20 | 3.5 | $4.1M | 171 | 19 |
| Pizza | 71 | #268 of 2,090 | 35 | 6.0 | $6.5M | 127 | 89 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 69 | #98 of 777 | 8 | 1.4 | $6.4M | 157 | 11 |
| Gyms | 69 | #256 of 1,792 | 36 | 6.2 | $1.4M | 109 | 11 |
| Child care and preschools | 69 | #271 of 1,611 | 12 | 2.1 | $1.9M | 192 | 25 |
| Pet stores | 68 | #193 of 974 | 9 | 1.6 | $5.4M | 120 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 67 | #214 of 1,334 | 16 | 2.8 | $3.2M | 158 | 13 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 66 | #331 of 1,656 | 17 | 2.9 | $4.8M | 271 | 97 |
| Spas and skin care | 66 | #337 of 1,769 | 47 | 8.1 | $1.2M | 140 | 8 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 66 | #355 of 1,889 | 31 | 5.4 | $7.3M | 176 | 34 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 65 | #408 of 2,088 | 60 | 10.4 | $852K | 129 | 24 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 64 | #583 of 2,222 | 70 | 12.1 | $3.2M | 106 | 89 |
| Gas stations | 64 | #595 of 2,358 | 61 | 10.5 | $2.7M | 114 | 50 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 62 | #530 of 2,063 | 45 | 7.8 | $5M | 136 | 30 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 61 | #229 of 887 | 11 | 1.9 | Index only | 190 | 6 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 61 | #656 of 2,087 | 74 | 12.8 | $1.5M | 121 | 20 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #776 of 2,402 | 132 | 22.8 | $2.7M | 79 | 26 |
| Laundromats | 60 | #263 of 785 | 8 | 1.4 | $14.2M | 114 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 60 | #725 of 2,401 | 193 | 33.4 | $338K | 126 | 102 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 58 | #649 of 1,886 | 58 | 10.0 | $1.4M | 144 | 49 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 58 | #790 of 2,210 | 111 | 19.2 | $1M | 116 | 23 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 58 | #804 of 2,405 | 253 | 43.7 | $893K | 135 | 112 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 58 | #831 of 2,405 | 529 | 91.4 | $427K | 115 | 233 |
| Convenience stores | 58 | #831 of 2,261 | 55 | 9.5 | $6.4M | 81 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | 56 | #511 of 1,328 | 29 | 5.0 | $2M | 119 | 12 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 56 | #905 of 2,394 | 310 | 53.6 | $264K | 173 | 200 |
| Roofing and gutters | 55 | #471 of 1,177 | 17 | 2.9 | $9.3M | 110 | 11 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 55 | #609 of 1,461 | 25 | 4.3 | $2M | 77 | 10 |
| Pet businesses | 55 | #869 of 2,200 | 65 | 11.2 | $754K | 86 | 29 |
| Auto repair shops | 55 | #939 of 2,378 | 122 | 21.1 | $535K | 120 | 82 |
| Funeral homes | 54 | #604 of 1,472 | 15 | 2.6 | $573K | 84 | 9 |
| Grocery stores | 54 | #886 of 2,070 | 40 | 6.9 | $8.8M | 95 | 25 |
| House cleaning | 53 | #345 of 847 | 9 | 1.6 | $7.9M | 124 | 30 |
| Veterinarians | 52 | #692 of 1,485 | 22 | 3.8 | $2.2M | 82 | 16 |
| Dry cleaners | 50 | #258 of 507 | 6 | 1.0 | $19M | 121 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 50 | #571 of 1,160 | 15 | 2.6 | $10.5M | 88 | 35 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 49 | #261 of 479 | 6 | 1.0 | $10.9M | 79 | 5 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 49 | #676 of 1,327 | 22 | 3.8 | $3M | 96 | 21 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 49 | #1,214 of 2,385 | 225 | 38.9 | $256K | 121 | 63 |
| Pest control | 48 | #373 of 699 | 6 | 1.0 | $11.9M | 116 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | 48 | #814 of 1,490 | 41 | 7.1 | $2M | 84 | 21 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 48 | #1,162 of 2,176 | 111 | 19.2 | Index only | 135 | 36 |
| Hair salons | 48 | #1,280 of 2,339 | 131 | 22.6 | $440K | 102 | 40 |
| Property management | 44 | #559 of 910 | 18 | 3.1 | Index only | 81 | 15 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 44 | #896 of 1,493 | 33 | 5.7 | $2.2M | 74 | 49 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 44 | #1,091 of 1,771 | 48 | 8.3 | $1.5M | 89 | 79 |
| Real estate | 44 | #1,400 of 2,229 | 144 | 24.9 | Index only | 131 | 68 |
| Home repair trades | 43 | #1,369 of 2,057 | 78 | 13.5 | $2M | 83 | 100 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 39 | #1,248 of 1,707 | 46 | 7.9 | $3.4M | 72 | 54 |
| Insurance agencies | 26 | #1,927 of 2,272 | 102 | 17.6 | $983K | 78 | 69 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.7 | Index only | 78 | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.2 | $82M | Too few | 5 |
Household spending in Marathon County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $65.2M | $1,127 | 118 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $165.2M | $2,855 | 110 |
| Food away from home | $225.9M | $3,904 | 96 |
| Groceries | $351.9M | $6,082 | 96 |
| Personal care products and services | $57.7M | $997 | 99 |
| Child care and other personal services | $23.1M | $400 | 69 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $51.1M | $884 | 90 |
| Medical and dental services | $82M | $1,416 | 110 |
| Pets | $49M | $846 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $113.7M | $1,965 | 96 |
| Vehicle insurance | $100.3M | $1,733 | 89 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $157.7M | $2,726 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $71.4M | $1,234 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $814.8M | $14,081 | 85 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Marathon County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 139,432+1.0% since 2020
- Households
- 57,866
- Median age
- 42.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 1,545 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 90
- Median household income
- $77,884+24.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $97,899
- Median home value
- $219,600
- Jobs located here
- 72,449
- Daytime population
- 141,458Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Marathon County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Marathon County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Wisconsin 8
- Lincoln County, WI28,426 people
- Portage County, WI70,832 people
- Wood County, WI74,004 people
- Langlade County, WI19,490 people
- Taylor County, WI20,024 people
- Clark County, WI34,739 people
- Waupaca County, WI51,569 people
- Shawano County, WI41,039 people
Questions
How fast is Marathon County, WI growing?
Population estimates put Marathon County at 139,432 people in 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 57,866 households. Median household income rose 24.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Marathon County, WI spend?
Households in Marathon County spend about $814.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $351.9M on groceries and $225.9M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Marathon County spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (69).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Marathon County, WI?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Marathon County are for car washes and detailers (75), tire shops (75) and barbershops (73). Marathon County ranks #127 of 1,451 scored counties for car washes and detailers.
How does Marathon County, WI compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Marathon County is $77,884 a year, 4% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.0% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $219,600, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Marathon County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for chiropractors (31% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for child care centers and preschools (64% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Marathon County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Marathon County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Wisconsin · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Marathon County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Marathon County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.