NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Wausau, WI

Metro Market Score 16.5 (Favorable), ranked #1 of 298 metros. 326 establishments, 4,953 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 16.5
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market🌱Emerging Market

Wausau ranks in the top 10% for accommodation and food services market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 16.5, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
3.7
LQ: 0.77
Rank #11 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
6.0
$20,000 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 95.6
Employment growth index
Rank #14 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
63.8
YoY wage change index

326 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Wausau

326
Establishments
+6.9% YoY
4,953
Total Employment
+6.4% YoY
$20,000
Average Annual Wage
+1.3% YoY
0.77
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Wausau vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #5/51 for entry risk.

Measure Wausau WI Statewide
Overall Score 16.5 Favorable 28.2 Low
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #1 of 298 metros #5 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Wausau

Information 19.9 Administrative and Support Services 29.2 Construction 30.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 32.9 Retail Trade 34.6 Other Services 38.6 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 40.1 Healthcare and Social Assistance 56.3 Finance and Insurance 60.6

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Wisconsin Metros

Oshkosh-Neenah 22.7 #2/298 La Crosse-Onalaska 24.4 #3/298 Fond du Lac 26.7 #8/298 Sheboygan 26.8 #9/298 Eau Claire 27.7 #10/298 Racine-Mount Pleasant 31.7 #17/298 Appleton 32.0 #19/298 Janesville-Beloit 34.6 #29/298 Milwaukee-Waukesha 37.3 #39/298 Madison 40.3 #50/298

+ 1 more metros. View all in Wisconsin →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Wausau's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (63.8) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.