Window replacement cost in Wausau, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (10 windows)
- $4,300 – $14,300
- Per window
- $430 – $1,426
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $9,750
- Rank of 300 metros
- #161
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for replacement windows in the Wausau area: $4,300 to $14,300 for 10 windows. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 5% lower than the US figure. Building materials run about 6% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 93.8).
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Estimated cost for 10 windows in Wausau, WI, standard level
$7,300 to $11,300
About $729 to $1,127 per window before permits. Labor is about 28% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $8,200 |
| Labor | $2,200 | $3,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,300 | $11,300 |
Cost breakdown for 10 windows in Wausau, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,750 | $6,650 | $10,600 | 72% |
| Labor | $1,550 | $2,650 | $3,700 | 28% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,300 | $9,300 | $14,300 | 100% |
Where the Wausau price comes from
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: glaziers at 50%, carpenters at 40%, general maintenance and repair workers at 10%. Weighted together, Wausau wages are 0.99 times the national level. Labor makes up about 28% of the midpoint estimate (27% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Wausau is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $7,100 nationally becomes $6,650 here (midpoint, 10 windows). Permits follow the all-items index of 92.7: $0 to $0.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Wausau. The wage table below marks each row.
The best months for windows in Wausau
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Wausau Dwtn Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Wausau are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January, February, March, November and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Wausau gets about 34 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 64 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, July and August (4.7 inches in June). Inside the workable window, April and October are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.1 inches. The station averages about 5 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 7 | 1.2 | Cold |
| Feb | 27 | 10 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 40 | 21 | 1.8 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 32 | 3.1 | Workable |
| May | 67 | 45 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 55 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 57 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 49 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 56 | 37 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 40 | 25 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 28 | 14 | 1.5 | Cold |
What nearby projects cost in Wausau
Jobs that often go together with windows are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Wausau wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, vinyl siding comes out highest (−5%) and storm door lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio door | 1 door | $560 – $5,600 | −6% |
| Front door | 1 door | $450 – $2,300 | −8% |
| Storm door | 1 door | $320 – $870 | −8% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,950 – $23,900 | −5% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $670 – $3,500 | −5% |
Pick a size, pick a tier: window replacement pricing in Wausau
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Wausau. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from a few windows (5 windows) to whole house (25 windows).
Basic
$4,300 to $8,300
Standard vinyl single-hung, same openings
Standard
$7,300 to $11,300
Mid-grade vinyl or composite, a few larger units
Premium
$10,300 to $14,300
Fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| a few windows (5 windows) | $2,150 – $4,150 | $3,650 – $5,650 | $5,150 – $7,150 |
| small house (10 windows) | $4,300 – $8,300 | $7,300 – $11,300 | $10,300 – $14,300 |
| average house (15 windows) | $6,450 – $12,400 | $10,900 – $16,900 | $15,400 – $21,400 |
| whole house (25 windows) | $10,800 – $20,700 | $18,200 – $28,200 | $25,700 – $35,600 |
Window replacement: what moves the price in Wausau
Permit
Window permits are $50-$200 each, or $400-$600 total for a multi-window job, and are often only needed when you change the opening (HomeGuide). No permit fee is included here because many cities do not ask for one on same-size replacements.
Frame material
Vinyl windows run $350-$1,500 each installed, fiberglass $400-$2,000, composite $400-$2,300, and wood $800-$3,800 (HomeGuide).
Window type
Single-hung and picture windows are cheapest; bay and bow windows can reach $3,000-$8,000+.
Who does the work: Wausau trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Wausau the blend is 0.99.
Glaziers (47-2121) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Wausau metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $30.00 an hour against $27.44 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $24.52 and $44.10 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 40% of the weighting: a median of $24.03 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.14 and $29.66 an hour. About 370 work in the metro. That is 53.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For general maintenance and repair workers (49-9071, weighted 10%) the local median is $26.76 an hour, which is 12% above the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $22.61 and $30.68 an hour. BLS counts 830 of them working in the area, 119.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 98.4), so the local bench is deeper than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (glaziers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $680 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $270. That is a swing of roughly 2.9% to 7.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Wausau has 69,530 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 261st by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glaziers (47-2121) | 50% | $24.52 | $30.00 | $44.10 | $27.44 | 1.09 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $23.14 | $24.03 | $29.66 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 10% | $22.61 | $26.76 | $30.68 | $23.84 | 1.12 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.99 | |||||
Wausau against nearby metros and the rest of Wisconsin
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Wausau. La Crosse comes closest at about $9,450.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wausau, WIthis page | $4,300 – $14,300 | $9,300 | |
| Eau Claire, WI75 miles | $4,400 – $14,500 | $9,450 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI80 miles | $4,650 – $15,100 | $9,900 | +7% |
| Appleton, WI80 miles | $4,450 – $14,600 | $9,500 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI90 miles | $4,400 – $14,500 | $9,500 | +2% |
| La Crosse, WI105 miles | $4,400 – $14,500 | $9,450 | +2% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $4,450 – $14,600 | $9,500 | +3% |
| United States | $4,500 – $15,000 | $9,750 | +5% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Wausau ranks #161 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Wausau is 3% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $4,600 – $14,900 | $9,750 | +5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $4,750 – $15,300 | $10,000 | +8% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $4,400 – $14,500 | $9,500 | +2% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $4,450 – $14,600 | $9,500 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $4,650 – $15,100 | $9,900 | +7% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $4,400 – $14,500 | $9,450 | +2% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Wausau against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville, WI | 69,870 jobs | $4,550 – $14,900 | $9,750 | +5% |
| Yuma, AZ | 68,880 jobs | $4,250 – $14,200 | $9,200 | −1% |
| Lexington Park, MD | 70,650 jobs | $4,550 – $15,100 | $9,850 | +6% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $4,450 – $14,900 | $9,700 | +5% |
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Window replacement in Wausau: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace windows in Wausau?
For 10 windows, expect $4,300 to $14,300 in the Wausau area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,300 to $11,300. Small jobs usually cost more per window and large ones less.
+What is the price per window for windows in Wausau?
About $430 to $1,426 per window for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $450 to $1,500.
+Is windows cheaper in Wausau or Eau Claire?
Eau Claire is 75 miles away. The midpoint for 10 windows there is $9,450, which is 2% more than Wausau ($9,300). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Wausau?
About 28% at the midpoint, or $2,650 out of $9,300. Materials are 72% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.
+What would average house (15 windows) cost in Wausau?
$6,450 to $21,400. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does windows need a permit in Wausau?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Wausau area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Wausau expensive for windows compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Wausau is 3% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($9,500 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do glaziers earn in Wausau?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $30.00 an hour, compared with $27.44 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $24.52 to $44.10.
+What do basic and premium windows work cost in Wausau?
For 10 windows, basic work runs $4,300 to $8,300 and premium work $10,300 to $14,300. Basic means: standard vinyl single-hung, same openings. Premium means: fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes.
+When is the best time to replace windows in Wausau?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Window replacement near Wausau
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Window Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 65% of the low installed price and 75% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that the window unit is 65-75% of replacement cost.