1st Advantage MortgageThe median Wood County household earns $67,989, and 11% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Wisconsin license first.
On this page
- Wood County, WI: the basics
- How much Wood County households make
- What it costs to live in Wood County
- Jobs and commutes in Wood County
- Towns and communities in Wood County
- Wood County and the counties next door
- What a median Wood County budget can carry
- What the numbers mean for Wood County borrowers
- More Wood County figures
- A Wood County borrower's checklist
- Wisconsin rules that apply in Wood County
- More guides for Wood County
- Frequently asked questions
Wood County, WI: the basics
Roughly 74,004 residents live in Wood County, Wisconsin, 22nd by population among the state's 72 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 793 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 93 per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Wood County is not part of any metropolitan area. Wisconsin Rapids is the biggest of its 15 Census places, at roughly 18,722 people (25% of the county total).
How much Wood County households make
The median household income in Wood County is $67,989; statewide it is $77,485, so Wood County runs 12% below Wisconsin as a whole. That places it 49th among Wisconsin's 72 county-level areas.
| Income band | Share in Wood County | Difference from Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.3% | +4.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.1% | +4.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.1% | -4.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.5% | -3.8 pts |
About 24% of households earn under $35,000, while 30% clear $100,000. 10.8% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 10.6%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.432 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
What it costs to live in Wood County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $856 in Wood County versus $1,087 statewide. 38% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 17% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $175,600, about 2.6 times the median household income. Owners occupy 73% of homes. Median construction year: 1972.
| Housing | Wood County | Wisconsin statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $856/mo | $1,087/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $175,600 | $266,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 38% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 4.5% | 3.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 7% | 11% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Jobs and commutes in Wood County
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 17%. The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 26% locally and 23% for Wisconsin. The survey's unemployment rate for Wood County averages 4.0% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 3.2%). About 77% drive to work alone and 9% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 5.5% of the total (6.4% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Wood County workers | vs Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.5% | +3.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 16.7% | -1.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.2% | -2.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.6% | -0.7 pts |
| Construction | 6.6% | +0.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Towns and communities in Wood County
The table lists the 14 largest of 15 Census places in Wood County, by population. Together all 15 hold about 49,621 people, so roughly 33% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $93,346 at the median in Lake Wazeecha, $46,458 in Nekoosa. None of the 15 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Rapids | city | 18,722 | $55,253 | $888 | 11 mi |
| Marshfield | city | 18,700 | $58,407 | $842 | 15 mi |
| Lake Wazeecha | CDP | 2,850 | $93,346 | $712 | 16 mi |
| Nekoosa | city | 2,420 | $46,458 | $699 | 12 mi |
| Port Edwards | village | 1,881 | $75,598 | $910 | 12 mi |
| Auburndale | village | 837 | $83,133 | $683 | 11 mi |
| Pittsville | city | 823 | $62,162 | $656 | 5 mi |
| Biron | village | 822 | $66,250 | $1,161 | 14 mi |
| Hewitt | village | 775 | $92,109 | $854 | 13 mi |
| Vesper | village | 496 | $61,149 | $621 | 4 mi |
| Rudolph | village | 466 | $59,375 | $700 | 12 mi |
| Milladore | village | 419 | $89,107 | $775 | 13 mi |
| Arpin | village | 290 | $48,036 | $771 | 5 mi |
| Babcock | CDP | 95 | $46,250 | n/a | 11 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Wood County and the counties next door
Distances run center to center, from Portage County at 27 miles out to Jackson County at 39. Marathon County leads the group on income ($77,884), Adams County trails ($59,442), and Wood County out-earns 3 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood County | - | $67,989 | $856/mo | 73% |
| Portage County, WI | 27 mi | $76,070 | $940/mo | 70% |
| Marathon County, WI | 33 mi | $77,884 | $999/mo | 73% |
| Clark County, WI | 34 mi | $67,400 | $823/mo | 79% |
| Adams County, WI | 36 mi | $59,442 | $828/mo | 86% |
| Juneau County, WI | 37 mi | $67,270 | $879/mo | 78% |
| Jackson County, WI | 39 mi | $68,110 | $787/mo | 80% |
What a median Wood County budget can carry
Wood County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $67,989 a year is $5,666 of gross monthly income
- Median rent: $856, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 40% cap, $2,266 total minus rent leaves $1,410
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
What the numbers mean for Wood County borrowers
A few patterns in the Wood County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
More Wood County figures
21% of Wood County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 4.5% of residents have no health coverage.
| Wood County | Wisconsin | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.4% | 33.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.5% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.5% | 5.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.5% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 13.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Wood County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 47.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.1% |
| 60+ min | 5.4% |
A Wood County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Verify the Wisconsin license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Wisconsin rules that apply in Wood County
The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Wisconsin license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Wisconsin: Wisconsin personal loans.
More guides for Wood County
For statewide rules and data, see the Wisconsin guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wood County a high-income county?
Its $67,989 median ranks 49th of 72 Wisconsin counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Wood County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $856 a month; 38% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Wood County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 73% of Wood County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
I live in a small Wood County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Lake Wazeecha, Nekoosa, Port Edwards and 10 more.
Can Wood County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Wisconsin county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.