NAICS 23

Construction in Wausau, WI

Metro Market Score 30.7 (Favorable), ranked #43 of 342 metros. 364 establishments, 2,970 jobs.

Metro Market Score 30.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

📈Rapid Growth🌱Emerging Market

Wausau ranks in the top quartile for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 30.7, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

23.7

LQ: 0.80

Rank #81 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

55.6

$73,509 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 86.3

Employment growth index

Rank #48 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

33.7

YoY wage change index

364 Construction Firms in Wausau

364

Establishments

+10.3% YoY

2,970

Total Employment

+7.7% YoY

$73,509

Average Annual Wage

+4.4% YoY

0.80

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Wisconsin

#2 of 13

construction metros in state

Wisconsin state rank

#1 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-13.7

better than median (44.4)

Wausau vs Wisconsin Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Wisconsin overall. The state ranks #1/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Wausau	WI Statewide
Overall Score	30.7 Favorable	25.1 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#43 of 342 metros	#1 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

Accommodation and Food Services 16.5 Information 19.9 Administrative and Support Services 29.2 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

Construction in Other Wisconsin Metros

La Crosse-Onalaska 24.1 #16/342 Kenosha 35.3 #66/342 Sheboygan 35.8 #69/342 Racine-Mount Pleasant 38.1 #87/342 Eau Claire 41.4 #117/342 Janesville-Beloit 44.4 #141/342 Green Bay 47.3 #166/342 Milwaukee-Waukesha 49.1 #179/342 Madison 52.1 #216/342 Fond du Lac 61.7 #296/342

+ 2 more metros. View all in Wisconsin →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Wausau's 30.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Columbia, SC 30.8 #44/342 El Centro, CA 31.0 #45/342 Elmira, NY 31.2 #46/342 Merced, CA 30.0 #42/342 Iowa City, IA 29.9 #41/342 Greenville, NC 29.9 #40/342 Auburn-Opelika, AL 31.5 #47/342 Altoona, PA 29.8 #39/342 Ithaca, NY 31.6 #48/342 Chambersburg, PA 31.6 #49/342

Construction in States Bordering Wisconsin

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Michigan 28.0 #2/51 Iowa 34.3 #7/51 Minnesota 37.3 #14/51 Illinois 49.1 #34/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

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 construction sector, the wage competitiveness component (55.6) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Wausau, WI MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment