Wausau, WI Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Wausau, WI Crime & Safety

Is Wausau, WI safe to live in?

Yes — Wausau earns an overall crime grade of B- citywide, and when you break it down by neighborhood the picture is even more encouraging. Of the 10 neighborhoods analyzed for 2026, 50% received an A grade and 50% received a B grade, meaning every single analyzed neighborhood falls into the broadly safe tier. No neighborhood in Wausau scored a C, D, or F. Neighborhoods like Southeast Side (Grade A, median income $88,176) and Forest Park (Grade A, median income $105,300) represent the city's safest pockets, while even the comparatively higher-crime areas — East Towne and Werle Park — still hold a solid B grade. For a city of 76,016 residents, that uniformly safe distribution is a meaningful data point.

What is the crime rate in Wausau, WI?

Wausau's crime profile is best understood through its grade distribution rather than a single number. Across 10 analyzed neighborhoods, 5 neighborhoods (50%) earned an A grade and 5 neighborhoods (50%) earned a B grade — producing a combined safe-neighborhood rate of 100%. The city's overall grade of B- reflects that while Wausau is genuinely safe, there is modest variation between its most affluent areas and its more economically challenged ones. For context, the city's poverty rate sits at 15.8% and median household income at $47,438 — factors that typically correlate with crime patterns. Neighborhoods with higher median incomes, such as Forest Park ($105,300) and Riverview ($87,589), consistently hold A grades, while lower-income areas like East Towne ($27,569) and Werle Park ($32,600) score at the B level — still safe, but worth noting when choosing where to rent or buy.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Wausau?

Five Wausau neighborhoods earned a top A grade in 2026 crime analysis:

• Southeast Side — Grade A | Median income: $88,176 | Population: 1,245
• Riverview — Grade A | Median income: $87,589 | Population: 994
• Forest Park — Grade A | Median income: $105,300 | Population: 1,240
• Northwest — Grade A- | Median income: $57,669 | Population: 1,702
• Longfellow — Grade A- | Median income: $45,771 | Population: 811

Together, these five neighborhoods represent 50% of all analyzed areas and are home to a combined population of roughly 5,992 residents. Notably, Forest Park stands out as the highest-income neighborhood at over $105,000 median household income, which strongly correlates with its A-grade safety rating. Even Longfellow, with a more modest median income of $45,771, achieves an A- — suggesting that community factors beyond income also contribute to Wausau's safety picture.

Which Wausau neighborhoods have higher crime levels?

No Wausau neighborhood analyzed in 2026 scored below a B grade, so "higher crime" is relative here. The five neighborhoods at the lower end of the safety spectrum are:

• East Towne — Grade B | Median income: $27,569 | Population: 503
• Werle Park — Grade B | Median income: $32,600 | Population: 591
• Athletic Park — Grade B+ | Median income: $39,990 | Population: 1,065
• Westies — Grade B+ | Median income: $56,467 | Population: 2,670
• Southwest Jones — Grade B+ | Median income: $46,669 | Population: 2,878

It's worth emphasizing that three of these five neighborhoods hold a B+ grade — only one step below the A tier. East Towne and Werle Park are the smallest neighborhoods by population (503 and 591 residents, respectively) and have the lowest median incomes in the city, which likely drives their comparatively modest B ratings. Residents in these areas can still feel generally secure, but may want to apply standard precautions such as securing vehicles and staying aware of surroundings.

Is Wausau a good place to live in 2026?

The data makes a strong case for Wausau. Consider the key figures: a B- overall crime grade, 100% of neighborhoods rated B or higher, a median home value of just $121,190, and a median rent of $767/month — well below national averages. The unemployment rate of 4.2% is near the national average, and while the poverty rate of 15.8% is something to watch, it hasn't translated into widespread high-crime neighborhoods. For families, the concentration of A-grade neighborhoods — particularly Forest Park, Southeast Side, and Riverview — offers genuinely safe environments at relatively affordable price points. For renters and first-time buyers, neighborhoods like Southwest Jones (Grade B+, 2,878 residents) and Westies (Grade B+, 2,670 residents) offer larger community sizes with solid safety ratings and median incomes in the mid-$40,000s to mid-$50,000s range.

How does Wausau's safety compare across income levels?

Wausau shows a clear — though not absolute — correlation between neighborhood income and crime grade. The three Grade A neighborhoods (excluding A-) all have median incomes above $87,000: Forest Park ($105,300), Southeast Side ($88,176), and Riverview ($87,589). Moving down the income scale, the A- neighborhoods — Northwest ($57,669) and Longfellow ($45,771) — still achieve excellent safety ratings, suggesting strong community cohesion in these areas. At the B and B+ level, median incomes range from $27,569 (East Towne) to $56,467 (Westies). The gap between the highest-income neighborhood (Forest Park at $105,300) and the lowest (East Towne at $27,569) is substantial — nearly $78,000 — yet even East Towne holds a B grade. That resilience across income levels is one of Wausau's defining safety characteristics in 2026.