Wausau, WI · standard

ZIP Code 54401

Marathon County, Wisconsin — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

30,702
142/sq mi
$71,586
Median income
$196,700
Median home value
30.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wausau pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
43th pct
home value, US ZIPs
142
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54401 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 54401 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 215.6 square miles in Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin. The area is home to 30,702 residents, producing a population density of 142 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 54401 against Wisconsin and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 54401 sits at $71,586 (8% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $38,525. The poverty rate stands at 12.1% and the unemployment rate at 3.4%. On housing, the median home value is $196,700 (21% below the state average) with median rent at $1,018 per month, and 67.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 54401 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 30.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 16 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Marathon County, so you can benchmark 54401 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 54401

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54401.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 54401, Wausau, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

30,702

Population

215.6

Area (sq mi)

142

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 54401?

40.6

Median Age

51.3%

Male

48.7%

Female

8.5%

Foreign-Born

White 77.3%
African American 0.1%
Asian 12.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$71,586

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$38,525

Per Capita Income

12.1%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

16.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 54401 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$71,586 49th percentile higher than 49% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 59.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,288

Total Housing Units

13,449

Occupied Units

839

Vacant Units

2.33

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.0%
Renter 33.0%

$196,700

Median Home Value

-21% vs state

$1,018

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.1%

YoY Change (2024)

196

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+96%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 54401 have increased 3.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +96% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.8% 136
2021 +10.6% 150
2022 +11.7% 168
2023 +13.1% 190
2024 +3.1% 196

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,027 business establishments in ZIP 54401, employing approximately 25,496 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,530,599,000.

1,027

Businesses

25,496

Employees

$1.5B

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 177 17.2%
Retail trade 141 13.7%
Accommodation and food services 108 10.5%
Other services (except public administration) 104 10.1%
Finance and insurance 85 8.3%
Construction 80 7.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 59 5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 55 5.4%
Wholesale trade 54 5.3%
Manufacturing 49 4.8%
Transportation and warehousing 32 3.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 31 3.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 1.8%
Educational services 17 1.7%
Information 16 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 54401 vs 54417 →

ZIP 54401 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 54401 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 54401 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 54401 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
54417 Brokaw, WI 46 4.9 mi
54448 Marathon, WI 4,249 6.6 mi
54474 Rothschild, WI 4,019 7.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Marathon County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 54401 in?
ZIP code 54401 (Wausau) is located in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Marathon County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/marathon-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 54401?
ZIP code 54401 in Wausau, WI has a population of 30,702 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54401?
The median household income in ZIP 54401 is $71,586, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54401?
The median home value in ZIP 54401 is $196,700, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54401?
The largest racial group in ZIP 54401 is White at 77.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54401?
ZIP code 54401 has 1,027 business establishments employing approximately 25,496 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54401?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54401 are: Health care and social assistance (177), Retail trade (141), Accommodation and food services (108). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54401?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54401 increased by 3.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 96%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 54401?
In ZIP code 54401, 59.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 54401?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54401 is 16.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 54401?
In ZIP code 54401, approximately 67.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54401?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54401 is 12.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Wausau, WI

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.