Marathon County, Wisconsin



Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,013. Its county seat is Wausau. It was founded in 1850, 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.

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 1576 sqmi, of which 1545 sqmi is land and 31 sqmi (2.0%) is water. 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 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

 * [[Image:I-39.svg|20px]] Interstate 39
 * [[Image:US 51.svg|20px]] US Highway 51
 * [[Image:WIS 13.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 13
 * [[Image:WIS 29.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 29
 * [[Image:WIS 34.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 34
 * [[Image:WIS 49.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 49
 * [[Image:WIS 52.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 52
 * [[Image:WIS 97.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 97
 * [[Image:WIS 107.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 107
 * [[Image:WIS 153.svg|20px]] Wisconsin Highway 153

Railroads

 * Canadian National
 * Watco

Buses

 * Metro Ride
 * List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

Airports

 * KAUW - Wausau Downtown Airport
 * KCWA - Central Wisconsin Airport

Adjacent counties

 * Lincoln County - north
 * Langlade County - northeast
 * Shawano County - east
 * Waupaca County - southeast
 * Portage County - south
 * Wood County - south
 * Clark County - west
 * Taylor County - northwest

Natural wildlife refuges

 * Mead Wildlife Area

2020 census
As of the census of 2020, the population was 138,013. The population density was 89.3 /mi2. There were 59,828 housing units at an average density of 38.7 /mi2. 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 of 2000, there were 125,834 people, 47,702 households, and 33,868 families residing in the county. The population density was 81 /mi2. There were 50,360 housing units at an average density of 33 /mi2. 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.

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.

Cities

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

Villages

 * Athens
 * Birnamwood (mostly in Shawano County)
 * Dorchester (mostly in Clark County)
 * Edgar
 * Elderon
 * Fenwood
 * Hatley
 * Kronenwetter
 * Maine
 * Marathon City
 * Rib Mountain
 * Rothschild
 * Spencer
 * Stratford
 * Unity (partly in Clark County)
 * Weston

Towns

 * Bergen
 * Berlin
 * Bern
 * Bevent
 * Brighton
 * Cassel
 * Cleveland
 * Day
 * Easton
 * Eau Pleine
 * Elderon
 * Emmet
 * Frankfort
 * Franzen
 * Green Valley
 * Guenther
 * Halsey
 * Hamburg
 * Harrison
 * Hewitt
 * Holton
 * Hull
 * Johnson
 * Knowlton
 * Marathon
 * McMillan
 * Mosinee
 * Norrie
 * Plover
 * Reid
 * Rib Falls
 * Rietbrock
 * Ringle
 * Spencer
 * Stettin
 * Texas
 * Wausau
 * Weston
 * Wien

Census-designated places

 * Knowlton
 * Rib Mountain

Unincorporated communities

 * Ashley
 * Bradley
 * Cherokee
 * Corinth
 * Dancy
 * Emmerich
 * Evergreen
 * Gad (partial)
 * Galloway
 * Glandon
 * Granite Heights
 * Halder
 * Hamburg
 * Hogarty
 * Holt
 * Johnson
 * Kalinke
 * Little Chicago
 * Little Eau Claire
 * Little Rose
 * Mann
 * March Rapids
 * McMillan
 * Milan
 * Moon
 * Mount View
 * Naugart
 * Norrie
 * Nutterville
 * Pike Lake
 * Poniatowski
 * Rangeline
 * Rib Falls
 * Ringle
 * Rocky Corners
 * Rozellville
 * Schnappsville
 * Snell
 * Shantytown
 * Sunset
 * Swan
 * Taegesville
 * Weber
 * Wien
 * Wuertsburg

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

 * Callon
 * Staadts
 * Stettin
 * Ziegler