Population
139,432
2025
+1.0% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Marathon County, WI: population growth, jobs and income
Marathon County gained 338 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.2%).
Marathon County had an estimated 139,432 residents in 2025, up 1.0% (1,313 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Wisconsin as a whole (+1.3%), and the 41st fastest growth of 72 counties in Wisconsin.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Wood County and Portage County.
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In the Marathon County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Marathon County plus 15 more figures, ranked against Wisconsin and the U.S. Three of the 15, free:
- Median gross rent$999/mo2020–24
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes5.0%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months432Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+61
2025
0.4 per 1,000 residents
+33 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
2.8%
2025
+0.1 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
348
2025
−29.6% since 2021
2.5 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$77,884
2020–24
+23.6% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
65,770
2023
−0.4% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 61 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +267.
Private employers had 65,770 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.4% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 2.8% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 348 new homes in 2025, or 2.5 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $77,884 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +23.6% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,594th.
Part of the Wausau, WI metro area.
Get Marathon County’s next numbers by email
Email me when Marathon County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Marathon County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 139,432 | +338 |
| 2024 | 139,094 | +326 |
| 2023 | 138,768 | +561 |
| 2022 | 138,207 | +375 |
| 2021 | 137,832 | −287 |
| 2020 | 138,119 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Marathon County
Marathon County grew by 1,313 people since 2020; the largest part came from international migration (+1,319).
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | +66 | +15 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +206 | +1,319 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | +61 | +33 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | +5 | −54 | |
| Total change | +338 | +1,313 |
Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.
How it ranks
| Measure | In Wisconsin | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 41st of 72 | 1,594th of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 51st of 72 | 1,845th of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 38th of 72 | 1,937th of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 19th of 72 | 674th of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 9th of 72 | 281st of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 59th of 72 | 1,313th of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Marathon County, WI as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. It has everything on this page plus 15 more figures for Marathon County, ranked against Wisconsin and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Wood County and Portage County reports too, $149 for all 3.
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Neighbouring counties
Over 2020–25, Marathon County's population change (+1.0%) was ahead of 5 of its 8 neighbouring counties and behind 3.
Its median household income ($77,884, 2020–24) is higher than in all 8 of its neighbouring counties.
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County, WI This county | 139,432 | +1.0% | 0.4 | 2.5 | $77,884 |
| Lincoln County, WI | 28,403 | −0.1% | 4.9 | 4.9 | $68,164 |
| Wood County, WI | 74,060 | −0.2% | −2.1 | 2.1 | $67,989 |
| Portage County, WI | 71,943 | +2.2% | 3.4 | 3.4 | $76,070 |
| Taylor County, WI | 20,118 | +0.9% | 2.1 | 2.4 | $69,350 |
| Langlade County, WI | 19,534 | +0.4% | 8.4 | 9.6 | $55,878 |
| Clark County, WI | 35,052 | +1.2% | −5.3 | 3.5 | $67,400 |
| Waupaca County, WI | 51,461 | −0.7% | 3.9 | 4.2 | $72,830 |
| Shawano County, WI | 41,560 | +1.7% | 3.9 | 2.8 | $66,479 |
Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
Questions
Is Marathon County growing?
Yes. Its population grew 1.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,313 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it gained 338 residents (+0.2%). Wisconsin as a whole changed +1.3% over the same years. That ranks 41st of 72 counties in Wisconsin for population growth.
How many people moved to Marathon County?
On net, about 61 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +267.
What is the unemployment rate in Marathon County?
It averaged 2.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Marathon County?
About 139,432 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Marathon County?
Private employers there had 65,770 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.4% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).
What Beacon CRE covers in Wisconsin
Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Wisconsin county pages carry the public federal growth figures.
Marathon County data alerts
Email me when Marathon County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Cite or reuse these figures
The headline figures above are licensed CC BY 4.0 by Simply Stats LLC: reuse them anywhere, with a credit and a link to this page. What the licence covers.
The licence covers these headline figures only. The county reports, data files and data packs are not licensed for reuse beyond section 4 of the terms.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.
Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.