The Central Wisconsin area stretches nearly five-thousand square miles and includes Marathon, Portage, Wood, Lincoln, and Adams counties.  With a bustling regional airport, the intersection of an interstate highway and multiple four-lane state connectors, and a steadily growing population, the area is a hub of economic development and growth in Wisconsin.  A healthy mix of light and heavy manufacturing, agriculture, services, and retail drives a diverse economy that continues to expand despite the current economic conditions.  Multiple communities in the central Wisconsin area have been touted as top-ten places in the United States to live and work because of short commutes, strong schools, and a plethora of outdoor recreational activities.   These attributes help bring a steady stream of young professionals, families, and retirees to central Wisconsin, providing a diverse workforce and consumer base.

Region’s Population – 328,399
*From census.gov 2010

Cost of Living Index of Larges Cities (Compared to U.S Index of 100) – Average 83.6
*From City-Data.com as of January 2011

Average Housing Costs

• United States - $175,100
• Wisconsin – $167,200
• Centergy Region - $129,080
  *From Sperlings Best Places via National Association of Realtors

Location - Total Land Area of Central Wisconsin- 4,675.09 sq/mi

Approximate Distance and Direction to Large Metros from Center of Region

• Madison, WI – 109 mi – S
• Milwaukee, WI – 80 mi – SE
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – 201 mi – W
• Chicago, IL – 265 mi – S

Transportation

Major Highways

• Interstate 39 – North/South
• Highway 29 – East/West
• Highway 10 – East/West
• Highway 54 – East/West
• Highway 13 – North/South
• Highway 34 – North/South

Local Airport

• Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) – Mosinee, WI
  • Airlines
  • Delta Connection to Detroit and Minneapolis
  • United to O’Hare
  • American Airlines Eagle to O’Hare

Nearest International Airports

Utilities

• Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
• Alliant
• Several Municipal Utilities

Communication

• Three major television networks – ABC, CBC, and Fox
• AT&T, Solarus and Charter Communications Cable providers
• Gannett Publications Daily Newspapers
• Broadband Availability throughout the region

Major Medical Facilities

• Adams County Memorial Hospital
• Aspirus Wausau Hospital
• Good Samaritan Hospital
• Marshfield Clinic
• Ministry St. Clare’s Hospital
• Ministry St. Michaels Hospital
• Ministry St. Joseph’s Hospital
• Riverview Hospital

Higher Education

• University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point (4 year)
• University of Wisconsin- Marathon County (2 year)
• University of Wisconsin- Marshfield/Wood County (2 year)
• Mid-State Technical College (Tech)
• North-Central Technical College (Tech)
• Several private colleges and universities

Quality of Life
From the modern retail development and historic downtowns, to the extensive outdoors and recreational activities, the central Wisconsin area has plenty to experience.  The beautiful landscape allows residents year-round opportunities for recreational activities including biking, hiking, swimming, skiing, and snowmobiling.  Central Wisconsin boasts over 30 golf courses with a wide range of terrain and difficult levels.  Another unique feature of central Wisconsin is Rib Mountain, giving residents a place to hike in the summer and ski in the winter.  With the Wisconsin River running right through the area, water sports recreational opportunities are abundant.  Larger bodies of water like Lake DuBay and the Big Eau Pleine and smaller waterways closer to metro centers allow residents to kayak, water ski, and fish all in one day.  Multiple cities in the area have been nationally accredited as top places live, work, and raise a family.  Central Wisconsin’s numerous outdoor recreational activities and diverse landscapes give residents many unique opportunities and are the backbone of the high quality of life in the area.

Education Attainment

Employment
Average Per Capita Income of Central Wisconsin- $23,992
*From census.gov 2005-2009 (2009 dollars)

Labor Force (population 16 years and over) – 176,332
*From census.gov 2005-2009

Prominent Businesses by County

• Alliant Energy – Utility
• Apogee Wausau Group - Metal window & door manufacturing
• Aspirus Wausau Hospital - General medical & surgical hospitals
• Associated Bank – Financial institution
• AT&T - Telecommunications
• Boldt Construction – Construction/developers
• Chula Vista  - Hotels & motels, except casino hotels
• Church Mutual Insurance - Direct property & casualty insurers
• Corenso – Paper converter
• Delta Dental – Dental insurance
• Domtar – Paper manufacturer
• Donaldson Co - Air purification equipment manufacturing
• Ellis Stone – Construction/developers
• Figi's - Mail-order retailers
• Foot Locker Corporate Services  -Mail-order retailers
• Good Samaritan Health Center - General medical & surgical hospitals
• Greenheck Fan Corp - Industrial & commercial fan & blower mfg
• Green Bay Packaging – Paper converter
• Harley-Davidson Motorcycle - Motorcycle, bicycle, & parts manufacturing
• Heritage Bank – Financial Institution
• Hurd Windows & Doors - Wood window & door manufacturing
• JARP – Industrial manufacturing
• Keller Construction – Construction/developer
• Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork - Wood window & door manufacturing
• Lands’ End -  Mail-order retailers
• Liberty Mutual Insurance - Direct property & casualty
• Lincoln Wood Products - Wood window & door manufacturing
• M&I BMO Harris – Financial institution
• Marathon Cheese Corporation - Dairy product wholesalers
• Marshfield Clinic - HMO medical centers
• Marshfield DoorSystems - Wood window & door manufacturing
• McCain Foods USA - Frozen fruit & vegetable manufacturing
• Ministry Health Care – System of healthcare providers
• Miron  Construction – Construction/developer
• Moundview Memorial Hospital & Clinics - General medical & surgical hospitals
• NewPage – Paper manufacturing  
• North Central Health Care Facilities - Psychiatric & substance abuse hospitals
• Packaging Corp of America – Paper manufacturing

• Peoples State Bank – Financial institution
• Riverview Hospital - General medical & surgical hospitals 
• Roehl Transport - General freight trucking, long-distance
• Ruder Ware -  Law firm
• Security Health Plan – HMO insurer
• Semling Menke - Wood window & door manufacturing
• Sentry Insurance - Direct property & casualty insurers
• Skyward – School information software developers
• SMET Construction – Construction/developer
• Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises - Corrugated & solid fiber box manufacturers
• St Michael’s Hospital - General medical & surgical hospitals
• St Joseph’s Hospital of Marshfield - General hospitals
• The Samuels Group – Construction/developer
• Travel Guard/Chartis – insurance/travel agencies
• United Healthcare Services- Direct property & casualty insurers
• Villa Pines Facilities - Nursing care facilities 
• Wausau Homes – Housing manufacturing
• Wausau Paper – Paper manufacturer
• Wipfli – CPA/Accounting firm
• Wisconsin Public Service – Utility
• Wisconsin Homes – Housing manufacturing

Industrial/Business Park inventory
Land – Multiple business and industrial sites available with infrastructure to each site – 5,258 acres; 1,866 available