Marathon County, Wisconsin
Located in Wisconsin, Marathon County has a population of 138,403 residents and a median age of 41.3 years, making it the #481 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 8.7%. The median home value is $219,600, and the median household income is $77,884, which is 4% above the national median.
Demographics
Marathon County has a population of 138,403, making it the #481 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.3 years, which is 6.2% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Marathon County is $77,884, ranking #677 out of 3,222 counties — 3.6% above the national median. The poverty rate is 8.7% and unemployment stands at 2.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Marathon County is $219,600 (-22.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $999/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Marathon County, 28.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 16.6% below the national average, ranking #911 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Marathon County is 78.4 years. 14.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.5% of adults in Marathon County smoke , 35.9% are obese , and 25.4% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 16.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Marathon County is 1.5 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.2 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.3% of children in Marathon County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 4.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 10.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Marathon County is 74.8%. The mean commute time is 21.1 min, which is 23.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Marathon County voted Republican with a margin of 18.6%. The vote was 40.1% Dem / 58.7% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Marathon County, Wisconsin
Marathon County, Wisconsin has a total population of 138,403, making it the 481st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Marathon County is 41.3 years, which is 6.2% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Marathon County is $77,884, which ranks #677 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.6% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.9%.
The median home value in Marathon County is $219,600, 22.1% below the national median. Renters in Marathon County pay a median gross rent of $999 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Marathon County, 28.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.1 min.
Marathon County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 86.2% of the population, followed by Asian (non-Hispanic) (5.7%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
All data for Marathon County, Wisconsin comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.