Wood County is a central Wisconsin county of approximately 75,000 residents divided between two distinct cities whose economies have evolved along very different paths: Wisconsin Rapids, the county seat at approximately 17,500 residents on the Wisconsin River, whose identity was built on paper and pulp manufacturing and whose economy has spent decades diversifying following the contraction of the paper industry; and Marshfield, approximately 20 miles to the west in an exclave that crosses the Marathon County border, whose economy is anchored by the Marshfield Clinic Health System — one of Wisconsin’s most significant integrated health systems — and whose character is shaped by its identity as a regional healthcare destination for a wide swath of central Wisconsin. Wisconsin Rapids, despite the loss of major paper employers including Consolidated Papers (acquired by Sappi), retains a paper industry presence through Verso Corporation and smaller specialty paper operations, and has worked to diversify its economic base through cranberry processing (the Wisconsin Rapids area is among the most productive cranberry growing regions in the world), healthcare, county government, the Mid-State Technical College campus, and commercial services. Nekoosa and Port Edwards, smaller Wisconsin River communities in the county’s eastern portion, retain working-class mill-town character.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Wood County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Wood County Circuit Court in Wisconsin Rapids. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Wood County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance.
Marshfield Clinic Health System, paper industry (Sappi/Verso), cranberry processing, Mid-State Technical College
Rent Control
None (banned statewide §66.1015)
Landlord Rating
5.5/10 — Marshfield healthcare anchor, WI Rapids cranberry/paper diversification, stable but modest
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
5-Day Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
5-Day Cure or Vacate
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
28-Day Written Notice
Court
Wood County Circuit Court, Wisconsin Rapids
Process Name
Eviction (formerly Forcible Entry & Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
3–6 weeks (moderate docket)
Wood County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Wood County and its municipalities including Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties in Wisconsin Rapids’ older neighborhoods require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Wood County municipality may enact rent stabilization. No local rent ordinance exists. Wood County rents are moderate, reflecting the county’s transitional economy between paper industry legacy and healthcare/service diversification.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Wisconsin. ATCP 134.06 requires return within 21 days of tenancy end with itemized written deduction statement. Wrongful withholding: double damages plus attorney’s fees. Written check-in sheet at move-in required; tenant has 7 days to note disagreements.
Landlord Entry
Minimum 12 hours’ advance notice for non-emergency entry under Wis. Stat. §704.05(2). Emergency entry permitted without notice. Entry at reasonable times only.
Marshfield Clinic, Paper Industry Legacy & Cranberry Capital
Marshfield Clinic Health System — one of Wisconsin’s largest integrated multi-specialty group practices, with hundreds of physicians across dozens of specialties and a research enterprise that includes the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute — is the dominant employer in Marshfield and one of the most significant healthcare employers in all of central Wisconsin. The system’s physicians, researchers, nurses, technicians, and administrative professionals constitute Marshfield’s professional employment foundation and the most stable, highest-income rental demand in the city. Aspirus Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids adds healthcare employment to the county seat. Wisconsin Rapids’ paper industry legacy — once built on Consolidated Papers and other major mills along the Wisconsin River — has contracted significantly but not disappeared; Sappi North America operates a major coated paper mill in Wisconsin Rapids, and specialty paper production continues. The cranberry industry deserves special recognition: the Wisconsin Rapids area is part of Wisconsin’s central cranberry growing region, which produces more cranberries than any other state in the nation, and cranberry processing and related agricultural employment adds meaningful economic activity to the county. Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids provides educational employment and student population.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Wood County. Month-to-month tenancies may be terminated with 28-day written notice. Milwaukee’s just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) has no application here.
Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Wood County
⚡ Quick Overview
5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure)
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
5 (first curable violation); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure); 5 (criminal/drug-gang activity - no cure)
Days Notice (Violation)
21-45
Avg Total Days
$$94.50-$114.50
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate (first offense) / 14-Day Notice to Vacate (repeat within 1 year)
Notice Period5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure) days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes for first 5-day notice - tenant can pay all rent to stop eviction; No for 14-day notice (repeat nonpayment within 1 year)
Days to Hearing5-25 (hearing 5-25 days after filing; tenant has 5 days to answer after service) days
Days to WritWrit of Restitution issued after judgment; sheriff executes days
Total Estimated Timeline21-45 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-500
⚠️ Watch Out
5-day pay or vacate for first nonpayment. CRITICAL: If landlord has given 5-day notice within past year, can instead give 14-day notice to vacate with NO cure right (§ 704.17(2)(a)). Acceptance of rent during nonpayment action does NOT waive right to proceed (§ 799.40(1m)). Eviction records appear on CCAP (public court records website) for 2-10 years - significant consequence for tenants. Small Claims Court handles all evictions. Declaration of Non-Military Service required (GF-175 form). If tenant wrongfully overstays, landlord can recover 2x daily rent for each day (§ 799.44(3)). 12-hour advance notice required for landlord entry (unless emergency or shorter notice agreed in lease). Some leases with terms >1 year can override statutory notice provisions (§ 704.17(5)).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court) - Eviction Action (Wis. Stat. Ch. 799, §§ 799.40-799.45). Pay the filing fee (~$$94.50-$114.50).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Wisconsin eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Wisconsin attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Wisconsin Rapids (paper legacy, cranberry capital, Aspirus Riverview, Mid-State Tech), Marshfield (Marshfield Clinic Health System — major integrated healthcare), Wisconsin River corridor, Sappi paper mill. No rent control, 5-day pay/vacate, no just-cause eviction.
Wood County
Screen Before You Sign
Marshfield Clinic physicians, researchers, nurses, and administrators (Marshfield); Aspirus Riverview and healthcare workers (Wisconsin Rapids); Sappi paper mill employees; county government and school district workers; Mid-State Technical College staff and students; and cranberry agriculture workers are your core profiles. Verify income at 3x rent, run Wisconsin circuit court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Wood County, Wisconsin
Wood County’s rental market tells two stories simultaneously: Wisconsin Rapids’ ongoing economic transition from paper industry dependence toward a more diversified economy of healthcare, education, cranberry agriculture, and residual paper manufacturing; and Marshfield’s stability anchored by one of the most significant healthcare institutions in rural Wisconsin. For landlords, understanding which city you are operating in — and which employer ecosystem your tenants inhabit — shapes both the opportunity and the management strategy.
Marshfield Clinic Health System: The Healthcare Anchor
Marshfield Clinic Health System is one of the most consequential healthcare institutions in Wisconsin outside the major metropolitan areas — a multi-specialty group practice with hundreds of physicians across dozens of specialties, a hospital system (Aspirus Marshfield Hospital following a merger), research operations through the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute (known for its long-running population health research cohorts), and a service area that extends across a broad swath of central and northern Wisconsin. The system employs a large and diverse workforce ranging from nationally recognized specialists and PhD researchers to nurses, technicians, administrators, and support staff, all concentrated in Marshfield and generating the most stable, highest-income professional rental demand in Wood County. Marshfield’s character as a healthcare destination city — drawing patients and medical professionals from a region far larger than Wood County itself — gives the city an economic resilience that many Wisconsin communities of comparable size lack.
Wisconsin Rapids: Post-Paper Diversification
Wisconsin Rapids’ story is one of the more significant economic transition narratives in Wisconsin. The city’s identity was built on paper — Consolidated Papers, which operated some of the most technologically advanced coated paper mills in North America, was headquartered in Wisconsin Rapids and employed thousands of highly paid manufacturing and engineering workers whose wages sustained the city’s economy and commercial district for generations. Sappi North America’s acquisition of Consolidated Papers’ assets preserved paper manufacturing in Wisconsin Rapids, and the Verso mill and other operations have continued to provide manufacturing employment, but at scales that reflect the broader contraction of domestic coated paper manufacturing. Wisconsin Rapids has responded with intentional economic diversification — healthcare growth through Aspirus Riverview Hospital, educational employment through Mid-State Technical College, cranberry industry processing and support employment, and commercial and governmental employment that collectively provide a more diversified if more modest employment base than the peak paper era.
Wisconsin: The Cranberry Capital
Wisconsin produces more cranberries than any other state in the nation, and Wood County is at the heart of that production. The Wisconsin Rapids area’s combination of sandy, acidic soils, abundant water from the Wisconsin River system and central sands aquifers, and the expertise of multi-generational cranberry farming families makes it ideal for cranberry production. The autumn cranberry harvest — when the bogs are flooded and the bright red berries float to the surface in spectacular masses — is one of Wisconsin’s most striking agricultural visual experiences and draws photography enthusiasts and agritourism visitors. Cranberry processing, marketing, and agricultural support employment adds meaningful economic activity that supplements the manufacturing and healthcare economy.
Wisconsin Legal Framework in Wood County
All residential tenancies in Wood County follow the standard Wisconsin Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 framework. The 5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for nonpayment, 5-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate for lease violations, and 28-Day Written Notice for no-cause month-to-month termination are the operative notice timelines. Eviction actions are filed at the Wood County Circuit Court in Wisconsin Rapids. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement.
Wood County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Nonpayment notice: 5-day pay or vacate. Lease violation: 5-day cure or vacate. No-cause termination: 28-day written notice. Security deposit return: 21 days; double damages for wrongful retention. Landlord entry: 12 hours’ advance notice required. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction actions filed at Wood County Circuit Court, Wisconsin Rapids. Milwaukee just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Wood County, Wisconsin and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wisconsin attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
