Wausau, WI – Centergy, Inc. has released the 2025 Regional Housing Study, an in-depth analysis of housing conditions and future needs across Central Wisconsin’s five-county region—Adams, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, and Wood Counties. The study, prepared in partnership with the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC), is a strategic tool for addressing the region’s workforce housing challenges and advancing long-term economic vitality.

The study reveals a pressing need for housing priced within reach of working households, specifically units renting between $900–$1,499 and homes priced between $200,000–$299,999. It also outlines how rising construction costs, limited new housing supply, and a competitive market are making it increasingly difficult for employers to attract and retain talent.

“This study serves as a foundation for coordinated action,” said Angel Laidlaw, President & CEO of Centergy. “As our region continues to grow and attract talent, housing must keep pace. These findings give our partners and communities a roadmap to align policy, investment, and development with real-time needs as a region”

Key findings from the study include:

· An estimated regional demand of 11,406 new housing units by 2040, including 8,336 by 2030.

· A critical shortage of affordable rental units and starter homes within workforce income ranges.

· An aging housing stock and limited recent development, particularly outside urban centers.

· A regional opportunity to launch a housing fund to help close the financial gap between construction costs and what local incomes can support.

In addition to county-level data and projections, the study provides a Regional Housing Toolkit with best practices, policy recommendations, and collaboration strategies to help communities take action.

“Solving the housing gap is essential not only for economic development, but for ensuring families and individuals of all incomes can thrive here,” said Sam Wessel, Senior Planner at NCWRPC. He added that this effort is especially significant because “This housing study looks for regional solutions that reduce the pressure on counties and municipalities to solve housing on their own.”

Centergy will continue working with local leaders to implement the recommendations, support grant applications, and explore the formation of a regional housing fund to help move high-priority projects forward.

Save the Date: To continue this important conversation, Centergy along with UW-Extension, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp (WEDC). and community partners will host a Regional Housing Summit on April 15, 2026, at the UW-Stevens Point Dreyfus University Center in Stevens Point. The event will bring together community leaders, developers, employers, and policy makers to collaborate on real solutions for Central Wisconsin’s housing future.

To learn more about regional housing solutions, visit: https://www.ncwrpc.org/centergy-regional-housing-study-2025/

View the full report here: https://www.ncwrpc.org/wp-content/uploads/Centergy-Regional-Housing-Study-2025.pdf