Introduction 

The data collected for the 2000 decennial census provides a unique perspective on our nation and our communities.  No other data collection effort is as ambitious in its attempt to count every man, woman, and child living in our nation.  Most often, surveys are conducted only on samples, and therefore do not provide as detailed information on local areas.  Although much of the data gathered last year have not yet been released, the information available so far provides a good overall description of Central Wisconsin.  This report introduces us to what the Census tells us about ourselves. 

Population Size and Change

As counted by the U.S. Census on April 1, 2000, the population of Central Wisconsin reached 268,571.  Included in this count are the counties of Marathon, Portage, and Wood.  Marathon County is, by far, the largest of the three, accounting for nearly half (47%) of the area’s population.  With over 125,000 people, Marathon is the only county in the area that is classified as Metropolitan by the Census.  Wood County is the second largest county in our region with 75,555 people, and Portage is the smallest, with 67,182.  Overall, Central Wisconsin grew by 7.3% in the 1990’s.  This is somewhat below the average for the state, which grew by 9.3%, and it is only slightly more than half the rate of growth for the nation as a whole.  The US grew by 13.2% in the decade preceding the 2000 Census.  Central Wisconsin grew just slightly below the amount that the Wisconsin Department of Administration expected when it made population projections in 1993.  Although Marathon County grew somewhat more than the state expected, Portage and Wood Counties grew somewhat less than expected.  In historical perspective, the region’s growth has been slowing, but only at a very gradual rate.  In the 1960’s Central Wisconsin grew by 13.5%; in the 1970’s, it grew by 11.1%; and during the 1980’s, it grew by 10.4%.

Household and Family Composition 

There are over 100,000 households in Central Wisconsin, two-thirds of which are homes to families.  Our households are roughly the same size as the state and nation as a whole (approximately 2.5 people per housing unit), and our families are about the same size, on average as Wisconsin as a whole and the U.S (approximately 3.1 people per family).  Nevertheless, Central Wisconsin has proportionately fewer single parent households than the state and the nation.  Less than 5% of Central Wisconsin family households are made up of a female householder with children and no husband present.

Racial Composition

The year 2000 was the first time that a decennial Census allowed residents to identify themselves as members of multiple racial categories.  Nevertheless, 99% of Central Wisconsin residents identified themselves as members of only one race, and 96% of those indicated that they were white.  Whether we include those who identified themselves as members of a single race or those indicating multiple racial categories, it is clear that we remain a very racially homogeneous area.  Ninety-six percent of us are white and almost three and one half percent are Asian, but no other racial group accounts for even one percent of our population.  Central Wisconsin is home to slightly more than 9,000 Asians, two-thirds of whom live in Marathon County.  Proportionately speaking, our Asian population is larger than the state, but it is still 25% below the national average.

Latinos (Hispanics) can be of any race, and they represent the fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S.  Latinos now make up roughly the same proportion of the nation’s population as African Americans.  Nevertheless, only one percent of our population identified themselves as Latino, and less than one-half of a percent indicated that they were Black or African American.

Age 

Central Wisconsin is slightly older than the nation as a whole, but we are almost exactly the same age as the state.  Our median age is 36 years, meaning that half of our population is older, and half is younger.  Thirteen percent of our residents are over 65, compared with 12.4% for the U.S., and we match the state and nation in children, with about one-quarter of our population under age 18.

Economic Status 

The median income of households in Central Wisconsin is 5% higher than the median income for households in the state of Wisconsin as a whole, and 13% higher than the median for households in the nation.  Ten years ago, incomes in Central Wisconsin were slightly lower than that for the state as a whole.  An alternative measure of economic well-being is per capita personal income which includes wages, investment income, and government transfer payments.  This broad measure of income is then divided by the population in each area.  Central Wisconsin’s per capita income has increased 28.5% in the 1993-1998 period.  This is approximately the same rate of increase as the nation experienced, and slightly faster growth than Wisconsin as a whole.  The level of per capita income in Central Wisconsin is still somewhat below the state and nation. 

During the past ten years, the poverty rate for Wisconsin’s families has declined significantly, and Central Wisconsin still has a lower poverty rate than does the state and nation.  Portage County still has a higher poverty rate than Marathon and Wood.  Probably this is due to the lower median age in Portage County.  The specific poverty rate for children in Central Wisconsin is 12.5%, which is less than the rate for the state and nation. 

A very high rate of home ownership exists for Central Wisconsin.  74.1% of people lived in owner occupied homes.

Employment Distribution 

As of the Economic Census of 1998, employment for Central Wisconsin was very strong with unemployment rates well below the national average.  Employment in services dominated with 71% of jobs in that sector.  More than 9,500 jobs were in the finance, insurance, and real estate category.  Manufacturing activity accounted for approximately 25% of all jobs in Central Wisconsin, and government service employed about 13% of the labor force.

Conclusion