Marathon County, Wisconsin

County in WI, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

138,403

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

41.3

years ∙ half population younger than 41.3, half older

Diversity Index

25.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

4.3%

foreign-born population

95.7%Native

4.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Marathon County is a county in Wisconsin, United States.

Location

County in WI, US

Co-ordinates

DEC44.898036° N, 89.757823° W

DMS44° 53′ 52.93″ N, 89° 45′ 28.16″ W

Population Density & area

89.58/sq mi (34.58/km²)

Total Area

1,576 sq mi (4,083 km²)

Land Area

1,545 sq mi (4,002 km²) · 98%

Water Area

31 sq mi (81 km²) · 2%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.5% male

Male 50.5%

Female 49.5%

males per 100 females

Marathon County 101.9

Wisconsin 100.3

United States 98

Nativity

4.3%

foreign-born population

95.7%Native

4.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Marathon County 4.3%

Wisconsin 5.2%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

41.3

years ∙ half population younger than 41.3, half older

Marathon County

41.3

Wisconsin

40.2

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

71.5

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Marathon County 71.5

Wisconsin 66.4

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	22.5%	21.4%	22%
Working age (18-64)	58.3%	60.1%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	19.2%	18.5%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	71.5	66.4	64.4
Child dependency ratio	38.6	35.6	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	32.9	30.8	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

86.2%

Black

0.6%

Asian

5.7%

Hispanic

3.5%

Other

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

25.1%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Marathon County 25.1%

Wisconsin 37%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Marathon County population

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Hispanic or Latino	3.5%	8%	19.3%
Mexican	2.4%	5.4%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.2%	1.1%	1.8%
Cuban	0%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.8%	1.3%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	96.5%	92%	80.7%
One race	92.9%	88.3%	76.4%
White	86.2%	78.6%	57.4%
Black or African American	0.6%	5.9%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.5%	0.5%
Asian	5.7%	2.9%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.3%	0.3%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	3.6%	3.7%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

63.4% family

Family 63.4%

Non family 36.6%

% family households

Marathon County 63.4%

Wisconsin 60.5%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.36

persons per household

Marathon County

2.36

Wisconsin

2.33

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Marathon County population

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Total households	57,866	2,479,480	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.36	2.33	2.53
Family households	36,705	1,500,296	82,990,528
Average family size	2.91	2.95	3.14
Married couple family	29,673	1,161,326	60,637,388
Other families	7,032	338,970	22,353,140
Male householder	2,908	112,650	6,572,819
Female householder	4,124	226,320	15,780,321
Non-family households	21,161	979,184	46,236,968
One-person households	16,435	781,452	37,140,836
Male householder	7,650	373,428	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	2,263	109,743	5,225,110
Female householder	8,785	408,024	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	5,104	210,915	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	4,726	197,732	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

60,910

housing units

Marathon County 60,910

Wisconsin 2,778,572

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

95% occupied

Occupied 95%

Vacant 5%

vacancy rate

Marathon County 5%

Wisconsin 10.8%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

78.1%

Single family houses

78.1%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

19.4%

Mobile homes

2.5%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1978

Half of houses were built before 1978, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

16.5%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

22.4%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

36.9%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

24.2%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6	5.6	5.5
1–3 rooms	10%	13.2%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	49.4%	52%	51.6%
7+ rooms	40.6%	34.9%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0.8%	2.1%	2.9%
1 bedroom	7.2%	10%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	25.4%	27.8%	25%
3 bedrooms	42.2%	40%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	24.4%	20.1%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1978	1975	1981
Total housing units	60,910	2,778,572	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

73.3% owners

Renter-occupied 26.7%

Owner-occupied 73.3%

homeownership rate

Marathon County 73.3%

Wisconsin 67.8%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.51

Owner-occupied

1.96

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Marathon County 2.51

Wisconsin 2.49

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Total occupied units	57,866	2,479,480	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	21%	23.1%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	36.4%	38%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	17.9%	17.1%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	24.7%	21.8%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.7%	98.3%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1%	1.2%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.3%	0.5%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	4.8%	6.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	29.6%	33%	33.1%
2 vehicles	41.3%	39.5%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	24.3%	21.1%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	73%	76.6%	51.4%
Electricity	16.5%	17.8%	41.3%
Solar	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	3.3%	1.4%	3.9%
All other fuels	6.4%	3.5%	2%
No fuel used	0.6%	0.6%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.1%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.5%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.5%	0.8%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$219,600

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Marathon County

$219,600

Wisconsin

$266,500

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

17.7%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

17.7%

Owners without a mortgage

9.8%

Renters

42.1%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Property value
Median Value	$219,600	$266,500	$332,700
Under $100,000	10.9%	9.1%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	32.7%	23%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	28.5%	25.5%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	20.5%	29.4%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	6.5%	11.4%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.8%	1.7%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	58.8%	61.1%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	41.2%	38.9%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,463	$1,689	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$589	$659	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$999	$1,087	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

28.1%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Marathon County 28.1%

Wisconsin 33.4%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

6.7%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Marathon County 6.7%

Wisconsin 6.4%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

29,464

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

K–12

77.6%

College / Undergraduate

13.2%

Graduate / Professional

3.1%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

22%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Marathon County

22%

Wisconsin

39.8%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	29,464	1,356,381	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	6%	5.3%	5.7%
K–12	77.6%	69.3%	67.6%
Kindergarten	4.3%	5.5%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	23.2%	20.2%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	25.9%	21.3%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	24.2%	22.3%	21.7%
College or graduate school	16.4%	25.3%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	13.2%	20.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	3.1%	4.7%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	22%	39.8%	40.9%
School type
Public school	85.7%	82.4%	82%
Private school	14.3%	17.6%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

97,134

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

3.7%

HS graduate

33%

Some college no degree

18.7%

Associates degree

13.5%

Bachelors degree

19.7%

Graduate or professional degree

8.4%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

49.1% · 50.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

63% · 37%

HS graduate

53.8% · 46.2%

Some college no degree

50.6% · 49.4%

Associates degree

47.1% · 52.9%

Bachelors degree

46.2% · 53.8%

Graduate or professional degree

44.1% · 55.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Population (25+)	97,134	4,099,973	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	3%	2.3%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	3.7%	4.1%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	33%	29.4%	26%
Some college, no degree	18.7%	19.5%	19.1%
Associate's degree	13.5%	11.3%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	28.1%	33.4%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	19.7%	22%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	8.4%	11.4%	14.1%
High School or higher	93.3%	93.6%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$51,449

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$42,699

HS graduate

$42,875

Some college or associates

$49,915

Bachelors degree

$62,021

Graduate or professional degree

$74,903

Poverty Rate

3.5%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

23.5%

HS graduate

9.7%

Some college or associates

6.5%

Bachelors degree or higher

3.5%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Marathon County	Wisconsin	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$51,449	$53,060	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$42,699	$36,585	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$42,875	$42,367	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$49,915	$49,438	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$62,021	$66,239	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$74,903	$79,916	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	23.5%	22.6%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	9.7%	12.2%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	6.5%	7.9%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3.5%	3.7%	4.5%

Insights for Marathon County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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