Superior vs Wausau
Superior, 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.
Superior 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 | Superior | Wausau |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $45k |
| Home Value | $155k | $147k |
| Monthly Rent | $817 | $898 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.66% | 2.00% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.17% | 14.44% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 12°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.4 in | 34.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.0 in | 63.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 214 days | 211 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 59°F |
| Comfortable Days | 68 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.5 | 55.1 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.4 | 55.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1101/100k | 1095/100k |
| Property Crime | 2388/100k | 1283/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,562 | 39,906 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.19 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+18 |
| White (%) | 88.5% | 79.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.8% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 10.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.6% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 15.0/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 137 mi | 165 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.3% | 86.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 41.79 | 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 Superior or Wausau more affordable?
- Superior has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Superior's $44k and Wausau's $45k. Median rent is $817 in Superior versus $898 in Wausau.
- Is Superior or Wausau safer?
- Wausau has the lower violent crime rate. Superior reports 1101/100k and Wausau reports 1095/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Superior or Wausau?
- The median home value is $155k in Superior and $147k in Wausau, so homes are more affordable in Wausau.