Wausau-Weston, WI
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
affordable
Price to income
2.70×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.08×-0.38
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.73
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
18.1%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Wisconsin
- 19.4%-1.4
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-5.2
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
4.35%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.95%+0.40
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%=
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
shrinking
Net migration
-0.03%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Wisconsin
- 0.01%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.47
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.58
- vs U.S.
- 3.52
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
very tight labor market
Unemployment
2.7%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Wisconsin
- 2.7%=
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-1.2
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+56.7%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+9.1%
Median home value
$205,500
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $889 | $10,668 | 14.0% |
| 2 BR | $1,147 | $13,764 | 18.1% |
| 3 BR | $1,511 | $18,132 | 23.8% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
2.7%
Median household income
$76,185
What's being built
Total TTM
576
+46.3% YoY
Single-family
370
2–4 unit
23
5+ unit
183
All 2 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County | 137,820 | $205,500 | $76,185 | 433 | +68.5% |
| Lincoln County | 28,402 | $177,700 | $67,726 | 143 |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Wausau | 166,222 | $76,185 | 2.70× | 4.35% | +56.7% | 3.47 | 2.7% |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 163,817 | $74,390 | — | — | +59.8% | — | 3.2% |
| Bloomington, IL | 171,284 | $78,329 | — | — | +55.6% | — | 4.6% |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | 173,396 | $77,034 | — | — | +51.0% | — | 4.4% |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 158,478 | $77,300 | — | — | +50.2% | — | 3.0% |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 171,197 | $72,873 | — | — | +63.8% | — | 2.7% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
-43
-0.03% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Wood County, WI | 262 |
| Portage County, WI | 206 |
| Lincoln County, WI | 201 |
| Marathon County, WI | 180 |
| Dane County, WI | 148 |
| Oneida County, WI | 140 |
Who lives in Wausau
- Median age
- 41
- Bachelor's+
- 27.3%
- Owner-occupancy
- 73.4%
- Vacancy rate
- 5.7%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 40.1%
- Median household income
- $76,185
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.