Stevens Point vs Wausau
Stevens Point, Wisconsin versus Wausau, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Stevens Point and Wausau score about the same overall (50 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Stevens Point | Wausau |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $176k | $147k |
| Monthly Rent | $855 | $898 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.82% | 2.00% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.46% | 14.44% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.0 in | 34.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.7 in | 63.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.4 | 55.1 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.3 | 55.5 |
| Violent Crime | 609/100k | 1095/100k |
| Property Crime | 958/100k | 1283/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,549 | 39,906 |
| Median Age | 28.4 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+18 |
| White (%) | 87.8% | 79.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.6% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 10.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 137 mi | 165 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.7% | 86.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 73.58 | 60.89 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Stevens Point or Wausau more affordable?
- Stevens Point has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Stevens Point's $45k and Wausau's $45k. Median rent is $855 in Stevens Point versus $898 in Wausau.
- Is Stevens Point or Wausau safer?
- Stevens Point has the lower violent crime rate. Stevens Point reports 609/100k and Wausau reports 1095/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Stevens Point or Wausau?
- The median home value is $176k in Stevens Point and $147k in Wausau, so homes are more affordable in Wausau.