Marathon County, Wisconsin

Marathon County
Marathon County
County
	Marathon County Courthouse in Wausau
	Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
	Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 44°54′N 89°46′W / 44.9°N 89.76°W
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1850
Named for	Marathon, Greece
Seat	Wausau
Largest city	Wausau
Area
• Total	1,576 sq mi (4,080 km2)
• Land	1,545 sq mi (4,000 km2)
• Water	31 sq mi (80 km2) 2.0%
Population (2020)
• Total	138,013
• Estimate (2023)	138,612
• Density	89.3/sq mi (34.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th
Website	www.co.marathon.wi.us

Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,013.^[1] Its county seat is Wausau.^[2] It was founded in 1850,^[2] created from a portion of Portage County. At that time the county stretched to the northern border with the upper Michigan peninsula. It is named after the battlefield at Marathon, Greece.^[3]

Marathon County comprises the Wausau, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Wausau–Stevens Point–Wisconsin Rapids, WI Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,576 square miles (4,080 km²), of which 1,545 square miles (4,000 km²) is land and 31 square miles (80 km²) (2.0%) is water.^[4] It is the largest county in Wisconsin by land area and fourth-largest by total area.

The Marathon County Park Commission has posted a geographical marker^[5] that identifies the spot (45°N, 90°W) of the exact center of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere, meaning that it is a quarter of the way around the world from the Prime Meridian and halfway from the Equator to the North Pole.

Major highways

Railroads

Buses

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	508	—
1860	2,892	469.3%
1870	5,885	103.5%
1880	17,121	190.9%
1890	30,369	77.4%
1900	43,256	42.4%
1910	55,054	27.3%
1920	65,259	18.5%
1930	70,629	8.2%
1940	75,915	7.5%
1950	80,337	5.8%
1960	88,874	10.6%
1970	97,457	9.7%
1980	111,270	14.2%
1990	115,400	3.7%
2000	125,834	9.0%
2010	134,063	6.5%
2020	138,013	2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[6] 1790–1960^[7] 1900–1990^[8] 1990–2000^[9] 2010 ^[10] 2020^[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020,^[1] the population was 138,013. The population density was 89.3 people per square mile (34.5 people/km²). There were 59,828 housing units at an average density of 38.7 units per square mile (14.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% White, 6.2% Asian, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.3% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

As of the census^[11] of 2000, there were 125,834 people, 47,702 households, and 33,868 families residing in the county. The population density was 81 people per square mile (31 people/km²). There were 50,360 housing units at an average density of 33 units per square mile (13 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.84% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 4.54% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 0.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 52.6% were of German and 13.6% Polish ancestry. 92.9% spoke English, 3.4% Hmong, 1.1% German and 1.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 47,702 households, out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.00% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

Libraries

The Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) has its headquarters in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin. Eight branch libraries have been established in the cities of Athens, Edgar, Hatley, Marathon City, Mosinee, Rothschild, Spencer, and Stratford.

Recreation

County parks

Amco County Park
Big Eau Pleine County Park
Big Rapids County Park
Bluegill Bay County Park
Cherokee County Park
Courthouse Square
D.C. Everest County Park
Dells of the Eau Claire County Park
Duane L. Corbin Shooting Range Park
Library Park
Marathon Park
Mission Lake County Park
Mountain-Bay State Park Trail
Reitbrock Geographical Marker
Rib Falls County Park
Sunny Vale County Park

Snowmobile trails

There are over 884 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in Marathon County maintained by 29 area snowmobile clubs. ^[12]

Communities

Cities

Abbotsford (mostly in Clark County)
Colby (mostly in Clark County)
Marshfield (mostly in Wood County)
Mosinee
Schofield
Wausau (county seat)

Villages

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

Politics

United States presidential election results for Marathon County, Wisconsin^[13]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	44,624	58.14%	30,808	40.14%	1,319	1.72%
2016	39,014	56.12%	26,481	38.09%	4,023	5.79%
2012	36,617	52.41%	32,363	46.32%	882	1.26%
2008	30,345	44.66%	36,367	53.53%	1,228	1.81%
2004	36,394	53.47%	30,899	45.40%	766	1.13%
2000	28,883	49.48%	26,546	45.48%	2,945	5.05%
1996	19,874	38.63%	24,012	46.67%	7,563	14.70%
1992	20,948	36.51%	21,482	37.44%	14,948	26.05%
1988	24,482	49.44%	24,658	49.79%	381	0.77%
1984	27,080	55.64%	20,128	41.36%	1,462	3.00%
1980	25,868	48.34%	23,281	43.50%	4,365	8.16%
1976	21,898	45.62%	24,934	51.94%	1,169	2.44%
1972	21,454	51.28%	18,500	44.22%	1,885	4.51%
1968	16,907	44.40%	18,063	47.43%	3,111	8.17%
1964	12,766	34.11%	24,603	65.74%	57	0.15%
1960	21,880	54.67%	18,145	45.33%	0	0.00%
1956	22,586	59.36%	15,301	40.21%	164	0.43%
1952	20,702	58.52%	14,541	41.11%	130	0.37%
1948	11,494	40.93%	15,898	56.62%	687	2.45%
1944	15,782	53.54%	13,192	44.75%	503	1.71%
1940	15,264	51.80%	13,724	46.57%	481	1.63%
1936	7,328	27.06%	17,898	66.10%	1,850	6.83%
1932	6,210	25.24%	17,744	72.13%	647	2.63%
1928	10,127	48.02%	10,675	50.61%	289	1.37%
1924	5,577	29.22%	1,109	5.81%	12,402	64.97%
1920	11,356	65.53%	2,133	12.31%	3,840	22.16%
1916	5,838	57.03%	3,677	35.92%	722	7.05%
1912	3,033	33.20%	4,043	44.26%	2,059	22.54%
1908	5,258	50.62%	4,722	45.46%	408	3.93%
1904	6,144	63.24%	3,225	33.19%	347	3.57%
1900	4,717	54.32%	3,768	43.40%	198	2.28%
1896	3,958	49.62%	3,829	48.00%	190	2.38%
1892	1,959	33.04%	3,791	63.94%	179	3.02%

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "2020 Decennial Census: Marathon County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
^ "Here's How Iron Got Its Name". The Rhinelander Daily News. June 16, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
^ "Marathon County Parks, Recreation, Forestry Department". Marathon County, Wisconsin. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.