Metro Job Market Pulse · General Market Conditions · September 2026
General Market Conditions Labor Market Report: Wausau, WI MSA — September 2026
Wausau's economy is labor-constrained, not demand-constrained.
Marathon County shed about 1,116 jobs year-over-year while unemployment held near 2.7%, a combination that points to a shrinking labor supply rather than softening demand as the region's defining economic constraint.
Free archive edition. Published by WageScape as sent to subscribers; data as of September 2026.
Key indicators
- Marathon County job change: -1,116 jobs — Q2 2025 to Q2 2026, despite low unemployment
- Marathon County unemployment: 2.7% — vs 4.1% U.S. rate, Dec 2025 reading
- Wisconsin labor force participation: 64.5% — down from 65.4% a year ago
- Wisconsin wage growth vs inflation: 4.2% vs 3.9% — forecast 2026 wage growth vs core CPI
Key takeaways
A shrinking labor pool, not weak demand, defines Wausau's economy.
Marathon County lost over 1,100 jobs year-over-year even as unemployment sat near 2.7%, a pattern pointing to demographic contraction rather than falling business activity. Commerce leaders pitching the metro for investment should address workforce supply directly rather than lead with the low jobless rate alone.
County government's own wage study is a tell on fiscal pressure.
Marathon County Board directed staff to study market wages and benefits after concluding reduced state shared-revenue growth (3.4%, down from prior estimates under Act 15) collides with staffing costs that already dominate the budget. Watch whether other municipal budgets in the region show similar strain.
Manufacturing softness here tracks a statewide, not local, pattern.
Wisconsin manufacturing employment is down roughly 0.2% statewide with Trade/Transportation/Utilities also contracting, and Marathon County's reliance on manufacturing as a core employer makes it exposed to this trend. Advertised pay for Manufacturing Production Workers is up locally even as sector employment softens -- consistent with employers competing for a narrower qualified pool rather than expanding headcount.
Local wage gains may not be keeping pace with household costs.
Wisconsin wage growth is forecast at 4.2% for 2026 against core inflation near 3.9%, a thin real margin that could turn negative if either figure moves. Consumer spending capacity locally -- relevant to retail and service-sector commerce -- should be read as fragile rather than secure.
Median advertised pay by role — Wausau, WI MSA
| Role | 25th percentile | Median advertised pay | 75th percentile | Metro trend | National median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate | $22,880 | $27,729 | $29,120 | Stable | $33,325 |
| Retail Cashier | $22,856 | $27,399 | $29,120 | Stable | $31,200 |
| Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate | $35,531 | $41,080 | $41,080 | Moderate increase | $38,000 |
| CDL Truck Driver | $50,960 | $68,640 | $77,875 | Moderate decline | $78,000 |
| Delivery Driver | $29,082 | $38,435 | $43,833 | Stable | $34,344 |
| Construction Laborer | $34,916 | $46,800 | $54,745 | Moderate decline | $40,560 |
| Electrician | $69,874 | $81,112 | $83,200 | Stable | $71,404 |
| Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler | $34,320 | $39,516 | $42,125 | Moderate increase | $39,520 |
| Customer Service Representative | $28,515 | $33,291 | $36,944 | Moderate decline | $39,520 |
| Food Service Worker | $28,169 | $30,127 | $30,127 | Moderate decline | $33,756 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | $39,038 | $45,958 | $55,120 | Moderate increase | $41,106 |
| Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk | $35,773 | $40,704 | $45,073 | Moderate decline | $43,680 |
| HVAC Technician | $60,683 | $72,800 | $76,700 | Moderate increase | $70,720 |
| Registered Nurse | $87,088 | $101,131 | $112,863 | Stable | $102,581 |
| Software Engineer * | $104,000 | $139,510 | $157,927 | Moderate increase | $153,652 |
| Data Engineer * | $89,725 | $127,700 | $141,561 | Moderate increase | $139,500 |
| Accountant | $55,000 | $64,565 | $67,500 | Significant increase | $72,182 |
| Financial Analyst | $63,912 | $67,797 | $79,071 | Stable | $94,782 |
| HR Generalist/Manager | $51,851 | $62,207 | $68,548 | Significant increase | $75,000 |
| Marketing Specialist * | $48,256 | $57,160 | $65,632 | Stable | $62,354 |
| Operations Manager * | $70,157 | $82,250 | $88,005 | Moderate increase | $85,216 |
| Elementary/Secondary School Teacher | $29,153 | $31,200 | $34,320 | Moderate decline | $56,731 |
| Account Manager | $45,934 | $64,153 | $70,000 | Moderate decline | $92,749 |
| Warehouse Manager * | $41,352 | $75,110 | $84,529 | Moderate increase | $75,000 |
| Business Analyst * | $76,780 | $90,000 | $101,587 | Moderate decline | $98,279 |
* State-level figure shown where metro postings were too few.
WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings (reported as the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay). Download: CSV · JSON
Industry snapshot
| Sector | Median advertised pay | Pay trend | Postings trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $65,860 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Manufacturing | $42,640 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Retail Trade | $34,346 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities | $43,680 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Information | $47,812 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Financial Activities | $60,000 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
| Professional & Business Services | $65,994 | Moderate increase | Significant increase |
| Education & Health Services | $53,470 | Significant decline | Significant increase |
| Leisure & Hospitality | $31,200 | Moderate decline | Significant increase |
| Government | $64,000 | Significant increase | Significant increase |
Local market conditions
Marathon County shed roughly 1,116 jobs between Q2 2025 and Q2 2026 even as the local unemployment rate held near 2.7%, a combination consistent with an aging, shrinking labor force rather than cyclical weakness -- employers appear constrained by worker availability, not demand. Manufacturing, long the region's economic backbone, continues to soften alongside statewide declines, while County Board action to commission a wage-and-benefits market study signals local government anticipates continued competition for scarce workers heading into 2027 budget cycles.
What it means
Flat-to-shrinking labor supply against a still-low unemployment rate points to a structural capacity ceiling on local economic expansion -- commerce leaders evaluating site selection, expansion, or relocation incentives should weight workforce availability as heavily as demand signals, since Marathon County cannot easily absorb new large-scale hiring without drawing from neighboring labor markets. Public-sector wage-study activity and a reduced 3.4% shared-revenue growth estimate suggest municipal budgets face real constraints even as service demands hold steady. Economic development organizations should consider framing regional pitches around labor-force participation and commuting-shed capacity rather than raw unemployment figures, which understate the tightness local employers actually face.
Looking ahead
Potential inflection point: Marathon County's 2027 budget cycle will show whether the reduced 3.4% shared-revenue growth estimate forces service cuts or tax-levy increases; either outcome affects the local business climate commerce leaders operate within.
Worth watching: Statewide manufacturing and Trade/Transportation/Utilities contraction has not yet shown a sharp acceleration locally, but Marathon County's outsized manufacturing base means any national tariff-related disruption to input costs or export demand would register here first.
Early indicator: Labor force participation fell from 65.4% to 64.5% statewide year-over-year; a continued decline locally would confirm the demographic-contraction story over a temporary blip and should inform regional workforce-attraction planning.
Emerging pressure point: National WARN filings remain elevated among large employers (Amazon, Meta, Tyson Foods among others cited in September filings), though Wisconsin's own WARN activity is down 7% year-over-year; a reversal in either direction would be a leading signal for regional labor supply shifts.
Methodology
Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay. WageScape observes 98% of U.S. job openings daily.
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