Metro area profile · Wisconsin
Wausau, WI metro area market data
How the Wausau metro area compares with other metro areas 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
- Median home value
- $219,600
- Jobs located here
- 72,449
- Highest market score
- 76
- Car washes and detailing, #19 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Wausau metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Wausau metro area. 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
The Wausau metro area has an estimated 139,432 people and 57,866 households. Population estimates show the Wausau metro area grew 1.0% from 2020 to 2025, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Wausau metro area is $77,884, 4% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Wausau metro area 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 the Wausau metro area, car washes and detailers (76), physical therapy clinics (73) and tire shops (73) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For car washes and detailers, that ranks #19 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Wausau metro area is made up of one county, Marathon County. 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 the Wausau metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Wausau metro area with other metro areas 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 metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car washes and detailing | 76 | #19 of 387 | 21 | 3.6 | $3.1M | 123 | 6 |
| Physical therapy | 73 | #37 of 386 | 20 | 3.5 | $4.1M | 171 | 19 |
| Tire shops | 73 | #39 of 386 | 11 | 1.9 | $5.9M | 237 | 9 |
| Pizza | 72 | #50 of 387 | 35 | 6.0 | $6.5M | 127 | 89 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 70 | #36 of 347 | 8 | 1.4 | $6.4M | 157 | 11 |
| Spas and skin care | 70 | #39 of 387 | 47 | 8.1 | $1.2M | 140 | 8 |
| Barbershops | 70 | #45 of 387 | 12 | 2.1 | $4.8M | 255 | 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 70 | #61 of 387 | 74 | 12.8 | $1.5M | 121 | 20 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 69 | #51 of 386 | 19 | 3.3 | $4.3M | 138 | 9 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 69 | #58 of 387 | 310 | 53.6 | $264K | 173 | 200 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 68 | #45 of 387 | 60 | 10.4 | $852K | 129 | 24 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 68 | #62 of 387 | 58 | 10.0 | $1.4M | 144 | 49 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 68 | #72 of 387 | 529 | 91.4 | $427K | 115 | 233 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 68 | #87 of 387 | 70 | 12.1 | $3.2M | 106 | 89 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 67 | #55 of 387 | 31 | 5.4 | $7.3M | 176 | 34 |
| Gyms | 67 | #56 of 387 | 36 | 6.2 | $1.4M | 109 | 11 |
| Child care and preschools | 67 | #67 of 387 | 12 | 2.1 | $1.9M | 192 | 25 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 67 | #71 of 387 | 17 | 2.9 | $4.8M | 271 | 97 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 67 | #80 of 387 | 111 | 19.2 | $1M | 116 | 23 |
| Pet stores | 66 | #76 of 382 | 9 | 1.6 | $5.4M | 120 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 65 | #60 of 387 | 16 | 2.8 | $3.2M | 158 | 13 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 64 | #82 of 387 | 45 | 7.8 | $5M | 136 | 30 |
| Auto repair and car care | 61 | #110 of 387 | 193 | 33.4 | $338K | 126 | 102 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 60 | #110 of 387 | 253 | 43.7 | $893K | 135 | 112 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 59 | #104 of 373 | 11 | 1.9 | Index only | 190 | 6 |
| Real estate | 57 | #115 of 387 | 144 | 24.9 | Index only | 131 | 68 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 57 | #118 of 387 | 225 | 38.9 | $256K | 121 | 63 |
| Laundromats | 57 | #132 of 364 | 8 | 1.4 | $14.2M | 114 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 55 | #131 of 387 | 111 | 19.2 | Index only | 135 | 36 |
| Auto repair shops | 55 | #154 of 387 | 122 | 21.1 | $535K | 120 | 82 |
| Gas stations | 55 | #163 of 387 | 61 | 10.5 | $2.7M | 114 | 50 |
| House cleaning | 53 | #148 of 375 | 9 | 1.6 | $7.9M | 124 | 30 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #173 of 387 | 29 | 5.0 | $2M | 119 | 12 |
| Roofing and gutters | 52 | #175 of 381 | 17 | 2.9 | $9.3M | 110 | 11 |
| Dry cleaners | 50 | #152 of 272 | 6 | 1.0 | $19M | 121 | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 49 | #159 of 290 | 6 | 1.0 | $10.9M | 79 | 5 |
| Pest control | 49 | #175 of 345 | 6 | 1.0 | $11.9M | 116 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 47 | #197 of 387 | 48 | 8.3 | $1.5M | 89 | 79 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #225 of 387 | 131 | 22.6 | $440K | 102 | 40 |
| Pet businesses | 46 | #225 of 387 | 65 | 11.2 | $754K | 86 | 29 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 46 | #230 of 387 | 132 | 22.8 | $2.7M | 79 | 26 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 44 | #251 of 386 | 25 | 4.3 | $2M | 77 | 10 |
| Property management | 43 | #244 of 374 | 18 | 3.1 | Index only | 81 | 15 |
| Convenience stores | 43 | #245 of 387 | 55 | 9.5 | $6.4M | 81 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 43 | #247 of 383 | 15 | 2.6 | $10.5M | 88 | 35 |
| Chiropractors | 40 | #272 of 386 | 41 | 7.1 | $2M | 84 | 21 |
| Funeral homes | 39 | #253 of 377 | 15 | 2.6 | $573K | 84 | 9 |
| Veterinarians | 39 | #263 of 384 | 22 | 3.8 | $2.2M | 82 | 16 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 39 | #269 of 381 | 22 | 3.8 | $3M | 96 | 21 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 38 | #262 of 385 | 33 | 5.7 | $2.2M | 74 | 49 |
| Grocery stores | 38 | #274 of 387 | 40 | 6.9 | $8.8M | 95 | 25 |
| Home repair trades | 38 | #287 of 387 | 78 | 13.5 | $2M | 83 | 100 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 29 | #352 of 387 | 46 | 7.9 | $3.4M | 72 | 54 |
| Insurance agencies | 24 | #342 of 387 | 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 the Wausau metro area
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 the Wausau metro area
- 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
- 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 the Wausau metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. 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 the Wausau metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Wausau metro area 1
- Marathon County, WI138,403 people
Other markets based in Wisconsin 12
- Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area1,568,938 people
- Madison, WI metro area691,830 people
- Green Bay, WI metro area331,145 people
- Appleton, WI metro area245,768 people
- Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI metro area197,532 people
- Eau Claire, WI metro area173,915 people
- Oshkosh-Neenah, WI metro area171,769 people
- La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area170,190 people
- Kenosha, WI metro area168,438 people
- Janesville-Beloit, WI metro area164,350 people
- Sheboygan, WI metro area117,991 people
- Fond du Lac, WI metro area104,137 people
Questions
How fast is the Wausau, WI metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Wausau metro area at 139,432 people in 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 57,866 households.
How much do households in the Wausau, WI metro area spend?
Households in the Wausau metro area 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 the Wausau metro area 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 the Wausau, WI metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Wausau metro area are for car washes and detailers (76), physical therapy clinics (73) and tire shops (73). The Wausau metro area ranks #19 of 387 scored metro areas for car washes and detailers.
How does the Wausau, WI metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Wausau metro area 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, the Wausau metro area 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 the Wausau metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Wausau metro area. 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 the Wausau metro area?
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 the Wausau metro area. 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.