Marathon County, Wisconsin

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Wisconsin 1866 US land Office

Marathon County Fairgrounds

Marathon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 138,013.<ref name="2020-census-55073" /> Its county seat is Wausau.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> It was founded in 1850,<ref name="GR6"/> created from a portion of Portage County. At that time the county stretched to the northern border with the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is named after the battlefield at Marathon, Greece.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref>

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 Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It is the largest county in Wisconsin by land area and fourth-largest by total area.

File:Sign for the Western Hemisphere's 45X90 point.jpg

Marker located at the 45×90 point near Rietbrock

The Marathon County Park Commission has posted a geographical marker<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> that identifies the spot (45°N, 90°W) of the exact center of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere, meaning that it is a quarter of the way around the world from the Prime Meridian and halfway from the Equator to the North Pole.

Major highways

Railroads

Demographics

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2020 census

As of the census of 2020,<ref name="2020-census-55073">Template:Cite web</ref> the population was 138,013. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 59,828 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 86.9% White, 6.2% Asian, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.3% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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2000 census

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 125,834 people, 47,702 households, and 33,868 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 50,360 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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 aged 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

Libraries

The Marathon County Public Library (MCPL) 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

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Amco County Park
Big Eau Pleine County Park
Big Rapids County Park
Bluegill Bay County Park
Cherokee County Park
Courthouse Square
D.C. Everest County Park
Dells of the Eau Claire County Park
Duane L. Corbin Shooting Range Park
Library Park
Marathon Park
Mission Lake County Park
Mountain-Bay State Park Trail
Reitbrock Geographical Marker
Rib Falls County Park
Sunny Vale County Park

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Snowmobile trails

There are over 884 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in Marathon County maintained by 29 area snowmobile clubs. <ref name=snowmobiletrails>Template:Cite web</ref>