Marathon County

Marathon County, Wisconsin — key demographics

Population size

• 138,013 (2020 Census)
• ~139,000 (2023 Census Bureau Vintage estimate)

Age (ACS 2018–2022)

• Median age: ~41.2 years
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~19%

Gender (ACS 2018–2022)

• Female: ~50%
• Male: ~50%

Racial/ethnic composition (2020 Census; race is “alone,” Hispanic overlaps with race)

• White alone: ~87%
• Asian alone: ~6–7%
• Black or African American alone: ~1–1.5%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: ~0.5–0.7%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander alone: ~0.1%
• Two or more races: ~3–4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~3–4%
• White alone, not Hispanic: ~84–85%

Households (ACS 2018–2022)

• Total households: ~55,000–56,000
• Average household size: ~2.45–2.50
• Family households: ~64% of households (average family size ~3.0)
• Married-couple households: ~50% of all households
• Households with children under 18: ~28%
• One-person households: ~28–29%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census; American Community Survey 2018–2022 5-year; Census Bureau Vintage 2023 population estimates.

Email usage snapshot: Marathon County, Wisconsin

• Population and density: 138,013 residents (2020 Census) across ~1,545 sq. mi; ~89 people per sq. mi, with highest concentration in the Wausau metro.
• Estimated email users: ~98,000 adult users. Method: ~107,000 adults (≈78% of population) × 92% U.S. adult email-use rate (Pew Research, 2021).
• Age distribution (share of adults who use email; Pew-based rates applied locally): 18–29 ≈95%, 30–49 ≈96%, 50–64 ≈92%, 65+ ≈85%. This yields a user base skewed toward 30–64, with strong uptake even among seniors.
• Gender split: Near parity. Pew finds men ~92% and women ~94% use email; Marathon County’s roughly even sex ratio implies an approximately 50/50 split of email users.
• Digital access trends (ACS Computer & Internet Use; FCC Broadband Map): ~92% of households have a computer; ~87% have a broadband subscription; ≈8% report no home internet. Cable/fiber options are densest in Wausau/Weston and along the I‑39 corridor, while rural towns lean more on DSL and fixed wireless. FCC data indicate high availability of 25/3 Mbps, with ongoing fiber buildouts improving 100/20 Mbps coverage.

Mobile phone usage in Marathon County, WI — 2024 snapshot

User estimates

• Population base: ~139,000 residents; ~107,000 adults (18+); ~57,000 households.
• Adults with a mobile phone (any type): 103,000–105,000 (95–97% of adults), broadly in line with Wisconsin but at the lower end of the state range in rural townships.
• Adult smartphone users: 95,000–99,000 (roughly 88–92% of adults). Household-level smartphone presence is approximately 51,000–53,000 households (about 89–92%).
• Smartphone-dependent for internet (no fixed home broadband): 14–16% of households in Marathon County vs 12–13% statewide. This higher dependence is concentrated outside the Wausau–Rothschild–Weston corridor.
• Households with no home internet of any kind: 10–12% in Marathon County vs 8–10% statewide.
• Households using mobile or 5G fixed-wireless as primary home internet: 8–10% in Marathon County vs 6–8% statewide, reflecting stronger uptake in rural areas where wired options are limited.

Demographic breakdown (county vs state)

• Age
  • 18–34: Very high smartphone adoption; smartphone-only internet reliance about 22–28% in Marathon County vs ~20–24% statewide.
  • 35–64: Near-universal mobile phone ownership; smartphone-only reliance mildly higher in the county’s rural towns than state norms.
  • 65+: Smartphone adoption ~75–80% in Marathon County vs ~80–83% statewide; device ownership is rising but lags the state average, and seniors are more likely to be voice/SMS-first users outside the metro area.
• Income
  • Under $25k: Highest smartphone-only reliance, roughly 25–30% in Marathon County vs ~22–27% statewide, driven by affordability gaps for wired broadband.
  • $25k–$75k: Moderate smartphone-only reliance (about 12–16%), a bit above the state average in rural census tracts.
• Geography
  • Urban core (Wausau, Schofield, Rothschild, Weston): Closer to state averages for ownership and usage; higher 5G availability supports video streaming and hotspot use.
  • Rural townships (north and west of WI-29, and south/southwest of Mosinee): Higher smartphone-only rates and greater use of mobile or fixed-wireless for home broadband.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Coverage and technology mix
  • All three national carriers (AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon) provide 5G in and around Wausau and along the US‑51/I‑39 spine and WI‑29 east–west corridor. Mid‑band 5G is common in the metro and along highways; low‑band 5G/LTE dominates elsewhere.
  • Coverage thins in the county’s northern and western townships; outdoor LTE is typical, with pockets of weak indoor coverage in forested and hilly areas.
• Speeds (typical user experience)
  • Wausau metro and highway corridors: mid‑band 5G median downloads roughly 150–300 Mbps; uploads 15–40 Mbps.
  • Rural zones: LTE/low‑band 5G median downloads typically 10–35 Mbps; uploads 3–15 Mbps, with larger variability and occasional dead spots.
• Reliability patterns
  • More pronounced urban–rural quality gap than the state average. Peak-hour slowdowns and indoor coverage challenges are more frequent in rural Marathon County than in peer Wisconsin counties with denser fiber backhaul.
• Backhaul and siting
  • Denser macro‑site and small‑cell presence in Wausau and at the I‑39/WI‑29 interchange; sparser macro‑site grid in the county’s northern half leads to larger cell radii and variable performance.
• Fixed broadband interplay
  • Fiber and cable coverage are strong in the Wausau area but patchier outside it; this drives higher reliance on smartphone hotspots and 5G fixed‑wireless for home connectivity than the Wisconsin average.

How Marathon County differs from Wisconsin overall

• Higher smartphone-only dependence, especially among low‑income and rural households.
• Slightly lower smartphone adoption among seniors (65+) and a larger share of voice/SMS‑centric users outside the metro.
• Greater reliance on mobile or 5G fixed‑wireless as primary home internet due to uneven wired broadband availability.
• A more pronounced urban–rural performance gap: mid‑band 5G in the metro vs LTE/low‑band 5G and occasional dead zones in outlying areas.
• Highway‑oriented coverage is relatively strong (US‑51/I‑39 and WI‑29), but off‑corridor areas see larger swings in speed and indoor signal quality than the state average.

Notes on estimation and sources

• Figures reflect 2018–2022 ACS “Computer and Internet Use” patterns applied to county population/household counts, FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile availability, Wisconsin PSC broadband mapping, and 2023–2024 carrier coverage disclosures and independent speed testing aggregates. Ranges indicate typical ACS margins and urban–rural variance within the county.

Social media usage in Marathon County, WI (modeled to local population) Method note: Where county-specific counts are not published, estimates apply Pew Research Center’s 2024 U.S. adult platform-usage rates to Marathon County’s adult population (2020 Census base). Population base: 138,013 (2020 Census); adults 18+ ≈ 108,000.

Overall user stats

• Adults using at least one major social platform: ≈ 90,000 (at least 83% of adults; YouTube alone reaches 83% of U.S. adults).
• Household internet access and smartphone penetration in Wisconsin support broad social media access; usage skews slightly higher in and around Wausau, Weston, and Rib Mountain versus rural towns.

Most-used platforms (estimated adult reach in Marathon County)

• YouTube: 83% ≈ 89,000
• Facebook: 68% ≈ 73,000
• Instagram: 47% ≈ 51,000
• Pinterest: 35% ≈ 38,000
• TikTok: 33% ≈ 36,000
• Snapchat: 30% ≈ 32,000
• LinkedIn: 30% ≈ 32,000
• WhatsApp: 29% ≈ 31,000
• X (Twitter): 27% ≈ 29,000
• Reddit: 22% ≈ 24,000 Note: Percentages are Pew Research Center (2024) U.S. adult usage applied to ≈108,000 Marathon County adults.

Age-group patterns (who’s using what)

• 18–29: Heavy on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok; YouTube ubiquitous. Facebook is used but less central for daily sharing.
• 30–49: Facebook and YouTube dominate for news, parenting/school updates, and shopping; Instagram growing; TikTok/Reels used for entertainment and local dining.
• 50–64: Facebook is the hub for community groups, events, and Marketplace; YouTube for DIY/home, health, and product research.
• 65+: Facebook first; YouTube second. Lower adoption of TikTok/Snapchat; higher engagement with local pages, churches, nonprofits, and government alerts.

Gender breakdown

• Overall county population is roughly evenly split by sex; social usage mirrors that, with platform skews:
  • Female-leaning: Pinterest (strongly), Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram.
  • Male-leaning: Reddit, X (Twitter), and to a lesser extent LinkedIn and YouTube.
  • Facebook is broadly balanced and deepest among 35+.

Behavioral trends specific to a mixed rural–small metro county

• Community-first Facebook: High reliance on Facebook Groups and Pages for school districts, youth sports, churches, local government, volunteer orgs, and neighborhood watch; Marketplace is a primary channel for local buy/sell/trade.
• Video as default: YouTube for DIY, home/auto repair, hunting/fishing, and product comparisons; short-form video (Reels/TikTok) is rising for discovery, especially under 40.
• Private sharing: Messenger, Snapchat, and WhatsApp handle day-to-day coordination among families, teams, and small businesses.
• Local commerce: Facebook and Instagram drive foot traffic to restaurants, salons, boutiques, and seasonal events; promotions tied to farmers’ markets, festivals, and high school sports perform well.
• News and alerts: Residents follow local media, school systems, and public safety on Facebook for weather closures, road conditions, and community updates.
• Work and recruiting: LinkedIn usage is concentrated among healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and public-sector professionals in the Wausau metro; job seekers often still respond via Facebook and Indeed, but LinkedIn is used for professional networking and higher-skilled roles.

What this means for planning

• To reach most adults quickly: Facebook + YouTube. Add Instagram for under-45s and TikTok/Snapchat for under-30s.
• Use Groups and local Pages for trust and reach (schools, teams, churches, civic orgs); pair with short-form video for discovery.
• For women 25–54 (shopping, events, recipes, décor): add Pinterest. For men 18–44 (tech, gaming, sports, auto, DIY): add YouTube/Reddit/X.
• Keep creatives local: faces, landmarks, high school mascots, seasonal outdoor activities, and practical “how-to” content outperform generic stock.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census (population base).
• Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (U.S. adult platform adoption). Estimates above apply these rates to Marathon County’s adult population.