Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Wausau, WI
The average asking rent in Wausau, WI is $988/month as of 2026-08. That is +6.8% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$988/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+6.8%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Wausau, WI.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $988 | -0.70% |
| 2026-07 | $995 | +0.10% |
| 2026-06 | $994 | +0.61% |
| 2026-05 | $988 | +0.30% |
| 2026-04 | $985 | +1.76% |
| 2026-03 | $968 | +1.26% |
| 2026-02 | $956 | +1.38% |
| 2026-01 | $943 | +0.32% |
| 2025-12 | $940 | -1.05% |
| 2025-11 | $950 | +1.17% |
| 2025-10 | $939 | +0.86% |
| 2025-09 | $931 | +0.65% |
| 2025-08 | $925 | -0.11% |
| 2025-07 | $926 | +0.00% |
| 2025-06 | $926 | +0.43% |
| 2025-05 | $922 | +0.55% |
| 2025-04 | $917 | +0.11% |
| 2025-03 | $916 | +1.10% |
| 2025-02 | $906 | +1.00% |
| 2025-01 | $897 | +1.82% |
| 2024-12 | $881 | +0.23% |
| 2024-11 | $879 | -1.90% |
| 2024-10 | $896 | -0.67% |
| 2024-09 | $902 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices