Marathon County, Wisconsin


Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 134,063. 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, of which is land and is water. It is the largest county in Wisconsin by land area and fourth-largest by total area. It is also notable for containing the 45°N, 90°W point.

Major highways

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 people per square mile. There were 50,360 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile. 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 age 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.
In 2017, there were 1,451 births, giving a general fertility rate of 61.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 29th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Of these, 32 of the births occurred at home. Additionally, there were 52 reported induced abortions performed on women of Marathon County residence in 2017, a figure lower than the records for the preceding four years.

Libraries

The Marathon County Public Library 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

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

Communities

Cities