MarionAdvertiser, 2009
Marion’s story
146 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1880Marion is settled
MarionWI
A town of 1,273, settled in 1880.
Population
1,273
2025 Census estimate · −3.2% since 2020
Typical home
$251K
+8.8% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
811
Balanced
Is Marion a good place to live?
The best of Marion’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. Only 33 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns score higher on cost of living. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 70% of U.S. towns. On incomes, just 35 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Marion has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Marion stand out
Where Marion beats most towns.
Typical home value
Marion$251K
Wisconsin$337K
Cost of livingA
3.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 89% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Marion7.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical WI town3.8
Civic lifeB+
90% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Wisconsin town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Small town
1,273 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
GrantDupontMarion
How Marion grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Marion is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →SchoolsC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 26% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 3.6% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthThedacare Medical Center - Shawano 15.6 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life7.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 81° summer afternoons, 44″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.5; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Marion: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Marion, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMarion WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Marion’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCity of Marion ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5495054950 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Marion.
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Marion fall behind 80% of Wisconsin districts
Its public schools are run by the Marion School District. Its two schools are below.
20%of WI districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 255 | C |
| Marion HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 227 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Marion
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
Marion’s typical home value is about $251K
The typical Marion home is worth about $251,000, up 8.8% in a year, 26% below the Wisconsin typical home. At $754 a month, Marion’s median rent is where Wisconsin’s towns sit at $1,078 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 60% of Marion households own their home.
$251KZillow home value
| Marion | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 60% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $754 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Marion$251K
Wisconsin$337K
+8.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Marion has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Marion has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 81°F, Marion’s July high is close to Wisconsin’s towns (82°F) and below U.S. towns (85°F).
44″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–28°
Spring32–54°
Summer56–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Residents of Marion are less healthy than 65% of U.S. towns
Marion beats the Wisconsin average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 20% of adults binge drink in Marion.
35%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Marion | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better26 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Marion | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.7% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.1% | 6.5% |
| More smokers | 16.5% | 13.6% |
Thedacare Medical Center - Shawano
15.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
A job hub: Marion has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 751 commuters
Most working residents leave Marion for work: only 10% work in town. Marion’s median household income is $61,000. Since 2013, Marion has added 79 jobs, to 811 in 2023.
10%work in town
| Marion | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Marion10%
Clintonville19%
Shawano5%
Appleton4%
Oshkosh3%
24 mi
median commute distance
811
jobs based in Marion
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Marion
18pages on Marion
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Marion; the nearest are
College of Menominee NationUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Keshena18.5 mi$6,200 tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens PointUniversity or college · Public · Stevens Point34.4 mi$9,488 in-state tuitionFox Valley Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Appleton34.9 mi$5,040 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Marion residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Famous people from Marion
3 notable people were born in Marion.
About Marion
City in Wisconsin, United States
Marion is a city in Shawano and Waupaca counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,324 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 850 ft
- ZIP code
- 54950
Questions about Marion
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Marion, WI expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Marion, WI known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Bert Thiel and Francis R. Byers.