Wood County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Wood County, Wisconsin had an estimated 73,943 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 74,206, across 793 square miles. County output reached $5.26 bn in 2024, 1,717 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 32 7(a) approvals worth $10.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wood County
How many people live in Wood County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202474,004
- Households32,253
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$67,989
- Median age43.8
- Median gross rent$856 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$175,600
- Home value to household income2.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over53,139
- Population under 1815,845
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over16,124
- Share 65 and over21.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6442,035
- Civilian labor force37,215
- Unemployment rate4.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.0 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties22nd of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included760th of 3,222
Wood County is the 22nd largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 2.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.8 percent against 21.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wood County
Is Wood County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202473,943
- Census 2020 base population74,206
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.35 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-94
- Births, 2024683
- Deaths, 2024936
- Natural change, 2024-253
- Net domestic migration, 2024-20
- Net international migration, 2024180
- Total net migration, 2024160
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024547
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1971st of 3,144
The county has lost 0.35 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wood County
Where are people moving to Wood County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,814
- People arriving, from those returns3,103
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,866
- Net household movement-52
- Adjusted gross income arriving$100.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-22.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$55,101
- Average income of a leaving household$65,340
- Largest single originPortage County (300 households)
- Largest single destinationPortage County (301 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage County | 300 | 486 | $13.0 m |
| Marathon County | 237 | 416 | $13.4 m |
| Clark County | 106 | 184 | $4.2 m |
| Adams County | 62 | 107 | $2.6 m |
| Milwaukee County | 47 | 85 | $4.7 m |
| Dane County | 45 | 67 | $2.3 m |
| Winnebago County | 29 | 52 | $1.4 m |
| Juneau County | 26 | 51 | $1.1 m |
Households arriving report $10,239 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Portage County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Wood County
What is the Wood County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$5.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$5.11 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.0 percent
- GDP change over five years20.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes22nd of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes693rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$71,123
Output grew 3.0 percent in the latest year and 20.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Wood County
Employment by industry in Wood County
- Covered employment, annual average36,183
- Establishments reporting2,131
- Average annual pay$56,502
- Average weekly wage$1,087
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,023
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$70,217
- Manufacturing, employment4,464
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$66,336
- Retail trade, employment3,716
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,598
- Transportation and warehousing, employment3,501
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$52,201
- Accommodation and food services, employment2,629
- Construction, employment1,773
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 8,023 | 454 | $70,217 |
| Manufacturing | 4,464 | 104 | $66,336 |
| Retail trade | 3,716 | 244 | $32,598 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,501 | 98 | $52,201 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,629 | 178 | $21,915 |
| Construction | 1,773 | 174 | $66,568 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,466 | 105 | $75,463 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,299 | 76 | $64,810 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,023 jobs, 22.2 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wood County
How many businesses are in Wood County?
- Establishments, all industries1,717
- Employment at those establishments34,252
- Annual payroll$1.95 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wood County
Building permits in Wood County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024138
- Declared construction value permitted$50.4 m
- Single family units authorized130
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units5.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$365,565
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.3
Single-family homes are 94.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wood County
SBA loans in Wood County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded32
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$10.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$315,272
- Median 7(a) approval$178,500
- 10th percentile approval$13,700
- 90th percentile approval$963,180
- Largest single approval$1,037,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)484
- Jobs per approval15.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active15
- Distinct industries receiving approvals28
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter27
- Franchise loans5
- Franchise share of approvals15.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countDrinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (3)
- Most active lenderForward Bank (10)
- 504 approvals recorded27
- 504 gross approval dollars$23.4 m
- Average 504 approval$867,630
- Median 504 approval$561,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval5.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved6.8
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (26)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$33.5 m
The average approval of $315,272 sits well above the median of $178,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 15.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wood County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wood County
Do SBA loans in Wood County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded7
- Paid in full7
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full7
- Status: Exempt from disclosure22
- Status: Cancelled3
Only 7 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wood County
SBA lending by place in Wood County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Marshfield, approvals13
- Wisconsin Rapids, approvals13
- Auburndale, approvals2
- Milladore, approvals2
- Rudolph, approvals1
- Nekoosa, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Marshfield | 13 | $4,843,000 |
| Wisconsin Rapids | 13 | $4,674,700 |
| Auburndale | 2 | $109,500 |
| Milladore | 2 | $97,500 |
| Rudolph | 1 | $250,000 |
| Nekoosa | 1 | $114,000 |
Marshfield accounts for 13 approvals against 13 in Wisconsin Rapids. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wood County
How large is Wood County?
- Land area793 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties31st of 72
- Width, east to west29.2 mi
- Height, north to south30.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land93
- Establishments per square mile2.17
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wood County
Flood risk in Wood County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wood County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550513
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate70.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wood County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Wood County (community 550513), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wood County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 70.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Wood County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Wood County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202474,004
- Households32,253
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$67,989
- Median age43.8
Common questions
Wood County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wood County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 73,943 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 74,004, in 32,253 households, ranking 22nd of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wood County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.35 percent since the 2020 census base of 74,206, to 73,943 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 683 births against 936 deaths, with net migration of 160. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wood County?
$67,989. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $175,600, which is 2.6 times income, and median gross rent is $856 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wood County?
1,717 establishments, employing 34,252 people with an annual payroll of $1.95 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wood County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 8,023 jobs, 22.2 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 36,183 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,502, or $1,087 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wood County?
32 7(a) approvals totaling $10.1 m since FY2020, across 15 lenders, with a median approval of $178,500, plus 27 504 approvals worth $23.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wood County?
138 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $50.4 m. Multifamily was 5.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wood County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Wood County come from?
The largest single origin is Portage County, with 300 households. Arriving households report an average income of $55,101 against $65,340 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wood County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Wood County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Wood County
Cities and places in Wood.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wood County. All 15 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Rapids | city | 18,722 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Marshfield | city | 18,700 | 13 | 85.3 percent here, 14.7 percent Marathon County |
| Lake Wazeecha | CDP | 2,850 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nekoosa | city | 2,420 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Port Edwards | village | 1,881 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Auburndale | village | 837 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Pittsville | city | 823 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Biron | village | 822 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hewitt | village | 775 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vesper | village | 496 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rudolph | village | 466 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Milladore | village | 419 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Arpin | village | 290 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Babcock | CDP | 95 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ceex Haci | CDP | 25 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby