Housing data for Wausau, WI
Wausau, WI has an estimated 39,996 residents and 18,718 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Marathon County.
42.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,010 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+3.3%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 39,996 (±84)
- Housing units
- 18,718 (±478)
- Households that rent
- 42.4%
- Median gross rent
- $1,010
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +3.3%
What stands out in Wausau
Households that rent: 42.4% (±2.8 points) in Wausau, higher than in Marathon County (26.7%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 23.4% (±2.9 points) in Wausau, higher than in Marathon County (13.6%).
Households without a vehicle: 9.0% (±1.9 points) in Wausau, higher than in Marathon County (4.8%).
Median home value: $167,900 (±$5,311) in Wausau, lower than in Marathon County ($219,600).
Housing in Wausau at a glance
- Median rent: $1,010 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,055 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 47.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 42.4% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $64,389 median household income
- Home values: $167,900 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,250 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,127 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 23.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 53.5% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 69.3% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 6.9% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 68.6% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 15.4 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 258 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +3.3% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 26.1% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.3% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Wausau against Marathon County, its state and the nation
| Wausau | Marathon County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 39,996 (±84) | 138,403 (exact) | 5,914,872 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 18,718 (±478) | 60,910 (±126) | 2,778,572 (±1,533) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 42.4% (±2.8 points) | 26.7% (±1.1 points) | 32.2% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,010 (±$38) | $999 (±$28) | $1,087 (±$4) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $64,389 (±$3,515) | $77,884 (±$2,218) | $77,485 (±$455) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $167,900 (±$5,311) | $219,600 (±$3,992) | $266,500 (±$1,051) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,127 (±$142) | $3,218 (±$53) | $3,792 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 69.3% (±4.2 points) | 53.5% (±1.9 points) | 57.0% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 15.4 minutes (±0.8) | 19.1 minutes (±0.4) | 22.2 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 88.7% (±2.0 points) | 90.0% (±0.8 points) | 90.3% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 38.2 years (±1.0) | 41.3 years (±0.3) | 40.2 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Wausau covers 19.2 square miles of land, about 2,080 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Wausau has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 38,735 (±61) | 39,996 (±84) | +3.3% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 18,650 (±429) | 18,718 (±478) | +0.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $708 (±$26) | $1,010 (±$38) | +42.7% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $121,900 (±$4,449) | $167,900 (±$5,311) | +37.7% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $46,824 (±$2,199) | $64,389 (±$3,515) | +37.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,076 (±$45) | $1,250 (±$39) | +16.2% | Down after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,785 (±$73) | $3,127 (±$142) | +12.3% | Down after inflation |
| Households that rent | 41.9% (±2.0 points) | 42.4% (±2.8 points) | +0.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.4% (±1.1 points) | 6.9% (±2.5 points) | +5.5 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Wausau
In 2025, the Wausau Police Department reported 258 violent and 744 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Marathon County, the departments that report recorded 160 violent and 647 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Wausau
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54401 | 13% | 31,692 | $1,018 | $196,700 | $71,586 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Wausau
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schofield | 3.6 mi | $926 | $154,000 | 42.1% |
| Rib Mountain | 4.8 mi | $1,290 | $255,900 | 12.8% |
| Town of Wausau | 5.2 mi | $1,412 | $231,400 | 7.4% |
| Town of Weston (Marathon County) | 6.1 mi | $1,200 | $361,800 | 5.3% |
| Rothschild | 6.2 mi | $970 | $203,600 | 25.3% |
| Town of Stettin | 6.6 mi | — | $370,100 | 7.7% |
| Weston | 6.8 mi | $1,024 | $229,300 | 36.6% |
| Maine | 6.9 mi | $962 | $277,500 | 8.8% |
Places in Wisconsin most like Wausau
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | $924 | $174,200 | $62,927 | 39.1% |
| Marshfield | $842 | $177,800 | $58,407 | 40.0% |
| Fond du Lac | $913 | $173,700 | $62,260 | 41.8% |
| Superior (Douglas County, city) | $900 | $180,400 | $64,216 | 39.4% |
| Oshkosh | $935 | $177,700 | $62,188 | 45.0% |
| Shawano | $819 | $160,800 | $57,490 | 43.5% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Wisconsin.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Wausau, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $847 | $940 | $1,217 | $1,590 | $1,599 |
HUD income limits for Wausau, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $21,800 | $36,300 | $58,050 |
| 2 people | $24,900 | $41,450 | $66,350 |
| 3 people | $28,000 | $46,650 | $74,650 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $51,800 | $82,900 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $55,950 | $89,550 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $60,100 | $96,200 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $64,250 | $102,800 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $68,400 | $109,450 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Wausau, WI MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $103,600.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Wausau
What is the average rent in Wausau, WI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Wausau is $1,010 (±$38) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Wausau?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Wausau, WI is $748 (±$98) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Wausau rent-burdened?
47.0% of renting households in Wausau pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Wausau?
Wausau has an estimated 7,470 (±559) renting households, 42.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Wausau?
The median household income in Wausau is $64,389 (±$3,515) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Wausau, WI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $167,900 (±$5,311) for owner-occupied homes in Wausau (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Wausau growing?
In Wausau, the number of residents went from 38,735 in 2015–2019 to 39,996 in 2020–2024 (+3.3%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Wausau?
The ZIP code that covers Wausau is 54401.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 54401?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 54401 is $1,018 (±$45) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wausau city, Wisconsin
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Wausau, WI MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Wausau, WI MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Wausau Police Department (ORI WI0370300)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Wausau city, Wisconsin (place:84475, in state:55).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .