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Moving to Wausau, Wisconsin

Wausau pays new residents up to $10,000 through Basecamp Greater Wausau relocation grant. Here is what life costs in Marathon County, home of Wausau, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • $10,000Paid to move hereBasecamp Greater Wausau relocation grant
  • $219,600Typical home value1Marathon County
  • $999Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 139,432Population+1.0% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to Wausau

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in Wisconsin

Something to know about Wausau

Did you know?

Rib Mountain, a four-mile ridge of quartzite about 1.7 billion years old, rises 670 feet above the surrounding land, more than any other hill in Wisconsin, and became a state park in 1927.

Source: Wisconsin DNR, read November 2026

A fact about Wausau

What it costs to live in Wausau

Marathon County next to Wisconsin and the US.1
MeasureMarathon CountyWisconsinUnited States
Typical home value$219,600$266,500$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,463$1,689$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$999$1,087$1,413
Typical household income$77,884$77,485$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners73.3%67.8%65.2%
Households with broadband90.0%90.3%91.0%
Average commute, one way19 min22 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $1,207 a month2.

Jobs and work in Marathon County

  • 65,770Jobs at local employers2023, +0.8% vs 2022
  • 3,436Employer businesses2023
  • 8,963Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 90.0%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

66.9% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 19.1 minutes, and 28.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 348 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from Wausau

Current remote openings for people living in the US.

Loading current remote jobs.

Things to do in Wausau

Notable places in Marathon County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • Mead Wildlife Area
  • D C Everest Park
  • Dells of the Eau Claire Park
  • Dells of the Eau Claire River State Natural Area
  • Elderon County Park

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • Grand Theater
  • East Hill Residential Historic District
  • Marshfield Central Avenue Historic District
  • Joseph Dessert Library
  • West Fifth Street-West Sixth Street Historic District

Colleges and universities

  • University of Wisconsin–Marshfield/Wood County

Thinking about Wausau? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

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Moving to Wausau: questions people ask

Does Wausau pay you to move there?

Yes. Basecamp Greater Wausau relocation grant: $10,000 cash. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in Wausau?

In Marathon County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $219,600 and median gross rent is $999 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Wisconsin: $266,500 and $1,087. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $1,207 a month (our arithmetic).

Is Wausau a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Marathon County are below the US median, household income is below the US median, and the population grew 1.0% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from Wausau?

90.0% of households in Marathon County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). Check the program rules for job requirements.

What is there to do in Wausau?

Notable places in Marathon County include Mead Wildlife Area, D C Everest Park, Grand Theater, East Hill Residential Historic District, University of Wisconsin–Marshfield/Wood County. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other Wisconsin towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page