Marathon County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Name: Marathon County, Wisconsin Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Marathon County, Wisconsin has a population of 138,403, the 10th most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $77,884 and the median home value is $219,600. The poverty rate is 8.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Marathon County Quick Facts

Population 138,403

Median Household Income $77,884

Median Home Value $219,600

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment Rate 2.9%

Median Age 41.3 years

Homeownership Rate 73.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.1%

High School Graduation 93.3%

Cities/Places 23

Population 138,403 10th of 72

Median Income $77,884 about the same as state

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Marathon County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	138,067	138,403	+0.2%
Median household income	$76,185	$77,884	+2.2%
Median home value	$205,500	$219,600	+6.9%

Median Household Income

Marathon

$77,884

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Marathon

$219,600

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 11.5%

$25K-$50K 18.0%

$50K-$100K 33.4%

$100K+ 37.0%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.3%

$10K-$15K

2.5%

$15K-$20K

2.2%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

3.6%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

3.2%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

14.8%

$100K-$125K

12.4%

$125K-$150K

8.1%

$150K-$200K

9.0%

$200K+

7.6%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

66.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.3%

Renter 26.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $999/mo 15.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.5%

18-34

19.3%

35-54

24.9%

55-74

25.3%

75+

8.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Marathon County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Wausau	39,996	$64,389	14.6%	$167,900
Marshfield	18,700	$58,407	11.6%	$177,800
Weston	15,749	$78,207	5.5%	$229,300
Kronenwetter	8,395	$115,044	6.7%	$273,300
Rib Mountain	7,289	$94,294	3.6%	$255,900
Rothschild	5,600	$88,261	8.5%	$203,600
Mosinee	4,498	$73,479	9.3%	$156,100
Maine	2,602	$110,721	2.8%	$277,500
Schofield	2,120	$65,583	8.0%	$154,000
Abbotsford	2,024	$68,580	9.5%	$151,500
Colby	1,907	$50,114	19.1%	$184,700
Spencer	1,686	$69,750	2.1%	$155,400
Stratford	1,438	$66,739	13.7%	$200,700
Marathon City	1,422	$89,519	3.9%	$198,200
Edgar	1,409	$63,482	9.7%	$180,200
Athens	1,055	$52,750	14.6%	$189,700
Dorchester	879	$60,536	13.5%	$156,000
Birnamwood	643	$63,750	11.4%	$143,400
Hatley	542	$93,750	5.7%	$213,000
Unity	378	$56,827	17.9%	$105,300
Elderon	135	$65,417	12.6%	$153,300
Fenwood	92	$78,750	2.2%	$165,600
Knowlton	91	N/A	24.2%	$210,000

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Marathon County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 138,403. It is the 10th most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 23 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Marathon County is 41.3 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Marathon County is $77,884. This is about the same as the state median of $77,485. It is also 4% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.7%. This is 18% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $219,600. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $266,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Marathon County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Marathon County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.2% of all residents. Asian residents account for 5.7%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.5%) is well below the state average of 8.0%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.7% vs 2.9%).

Education

28.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Marathon County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Wisconsin and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Marathon County, Wisconsin?

Marathon County has a population of 138,403, making it the 10th most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Marathon County?

The median household income in Marathon County is $77,884 with a poverty rate of 8.7%.

How many cities are in Marathon County, Wisconsin?

Marathon County contains 23 Census-designated places.