Marathon County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.4 | 138,612 people · 48th most distressed in Wisconsin
American Default Research

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Marathon County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.4 — 2785th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 48th of 72 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Marathon County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 44.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 44.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Employment & Wages 40.2
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 69
Debt & Delinquency 27.9
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 54
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 49
Community Vulnerability 24.8
Uninsured Rate 29
Disability Rate 20
Income & Poverty 24.4
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 21

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Marathon County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Marathon County
Marathon County, WI 32.4 Healthy —
Langlade County, WI 44.3 Normal +11.9
Waupaca County, WI 42.0 Normal +9.6
Taylor County, WI 40.5 Normal +8.2
Clark County, WI 39.5 Normal +7.2
Shawano County, WI 38.4 Normal +6.1
Wood County, WI 36.3 Normal +3.9
Lincoln County, WI 35.4 Normal +3.1
Portage County, WI 29.7 Healthy -2.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Marathon County
Boone County, KY 32.2 Healthy -0.1
Calvert County, MD 32.6 Healthy +0.3
Allegan County, MI 32.6 Healthy +0.3
Christian County, MO 32.0 Healthy -0.3
Windsor County, VT 32.7 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Marathon County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Marathon County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service 608-257-4666 (Madison); 414-274-6768 (Milwaukee)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Marathon County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 414-278-7722
Legal Action of Wisconsin 608-256-3191 (Madison); 414-278-7722 (Milwaukee)
Wisconsin Judicare 715-842-1681 (Wausau); 1-800-472-1638 (statewide)
Disability Rights Wisconsin 608-267-0214
Judicare Legal Aid (715) 842-1681

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Marathon County, Wisconsin?

    Marathon County has a County Distress Index score of 32.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,785th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marathon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marathon County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 44.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Marathon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marathon County (32.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Langlade County, WI (44.3); Waupaca County, WI (42.0); Taylor County, WI (40.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Marathon County?

    Marathon County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 138,612 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.