Oneida County, Wisconsin offers a unique opportunity for people seeking to mix business with an enjoyable lifestyle.  The Oneida County Economic Development profile of the Oneida County business community demonstrates this natural opportunity. In selecting a location for your business, a variety of factors must be investigated including:

• availability and cost of a qualified work force
• technical training
• surface and air transportation
• utility costs
• availability of buildings or building sites
• taxes

Your lifestyle and that of your employees is critical to your decision as well.  You need to know the emphasis placed by the community on quality of life factors such as:

• quality education
• four-season recreation
• professional health care
• affordable housing

Oneida County can meet your demands in each of these areas.  Located in the heart of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, Oneida County is the most densely populated county in Northeastern Wisconsin and had an estimated 2008 population of 36,031. Oneida County covers 1,125 total square miles, including 74,415 acres of lakes and rivers amounting to approximately 10% of the total Oneida County area. Incorporated into Oneida County's geographical make up is over 1,000 lakes, including three of Wisconsin’s largest lakes. There are four organized lake districts found in Oneida County.

Oneida County encompasses 20 townships and the City of Rhinelander which is the sole incorporated municipality.  A twenty-one member board of supervisors oversees the county government; the City of Rhinelander has a mayor/council government and each of the 20 townships is supervised by the town board.

Rhinelander, the county seat of Oneida County, is the largest city in Northeastern Wisconsin.  Rhinelander is the economic and industrial hub serving not only Northeastern Wisconsin but also the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  The total year round population of our service area is estimated at 200,000.  At given times during the year, the population of the region is estimated to be in the vicinity of 750,000. The major centers and their estimated 2007 population estimates are:

City of Rhinelander	8135
Town of Minocqua	4938
Town of Three Lakes	2249
Town of Woodruff	1982

Oneida County had an estimated 2007 median household income of $44,644 compared to $50,567 for the state of Wisconsin. Oneida County also maintains a unique balance between recreation and manufacturing sectors. 

WORKFORCE

The Oneida County workforce offers your company a stable pool of educated and trained workers.  The civilian labor force is currently estimated at 20,000.  Northern Advantage Job Center, located in Rhinelander, provides recruitment and prescreening services to area employers.  Job Center of Wisconsin, a self-service computerized database, maintains current information on job postings statewide and nationwide to provide wider exposure to jobs and job seekers. Labor costs for the county are very favorable to the employers.  The local workforce has kept pace with growth in the industrial, commercial and retail business base.  The exceptional quality of life enjoyed in Oneida County continues to be a competitive advantage for our employers in recruiting qualified workers.

ONEIDA COUNTY COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Oneida County, 2,791 workers leave the area each day to work elsewhere.  About 1,100 make the trip to Vilas County. One interesting thing about this area is the triangular relationship between Eagle River, Rhinelander and the Woodruff-Minocqua area (which includes Hazelhurst and environs).  This area constitutes a single labor force market, even though it crosses the county lines between Vilas and Oneida counties.

When looking at the industrial landscape of Oneida County, one of the most obvious features is the relatively small size of individual businesses.  The largest employers in the county have between 500 and 999 employees, with many of the top twenty list having between 100 and 249 workers.  Several of the larger employers are health care related, manufacturers or are in the retail market, which has grown significantly in the last several years.

Oneida County and adjacent areas of the state have always relied heavily on tourism.  It is certain, however, that the trade sector is particularly involved in the tourist business, along with elements of the service sector, especially the hotel/motel and resort business.  This explains the relative health of these industries in recent years, as tourism in the north has been generally healthy, with only occasional areas of weakness.

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SURFACE AND AIR TRANSPORTATION

An extensive network of highways and modern air service connect Oneida County with major metropolitan areas throughout the Great Lakes states.  The distance to Chicago is approximately 330 miles; to Minneapolis, 240 miles; to Madison, 200 miles; and to Milwaukee, approximately 240 miles. U.S. Highway 51 is a primary north-south artery, linking Oneida County to Interstates 90 and 94 in south-central Wisconsin.  U.S. 51 is a four-lane highway with controlled access to Merrill.  Provisions to extend the four-lane highway to Minocqua have been incorporated into the state Corridors 2020 highway improvement program. U.S. Highway 8 is the major east-west corridor through the county, providing access to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Minneapolis/St. Paul. U.S. Highway 45, traversing the eastern edge of the county, is a second north-south route between Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley and the Upper Peninsula.  Both highways are modern two lane structures.  State highways 70 and 47 provide additional access routes.  The county maintains 165 miles of trunk roads.  All highways within the county carry an 80,000-pound load limit throughout the year.  Permits are offered for larger loads.

Foreway provides overnight less-than-truckload motor freight service to major markets.  Fed Ex contracts daily courier service at the Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport.  Canadian National Railroad operates on tracks running east to west through the southern and central portion of the county.  Piggyback service is available in Rhinelander.

The Rhinelander- Oneida County Airport is the largest airport serving Oneida County and the surrounding counties, plus a sizeable portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Northwest and Great Lakes Airlines provide daily schedules to link you to anywhere in the world. Rhinelander Flying Service, Inc. is a full service fixed base operator providing air charter, air ambulance, fuel, aircraft repair, flying lessons, aircraft rental, and scenic airplane rides.   

Lakeland Airport at Noble F. Lee Memorial Field in Arbor Vitae offers a 5150-foot and 3602 foot runway.  Aviation fuel and jet fuel are available, as well as aircraft maintenance and other services.

Three Lakes Municipal Airport offers a 3,400-foot turf runway.  The airport runway is lighted, but is closed in the winter.  The facility does not have fuel available.

UTILITIES

Wisconsin Public Service Corporation provides natural gas and electricity throughout the county.  Three-phase electric is available in each of the population centers and in many other locations in the county, generally along major transportation routes. Utility rates in Wisconsin are very competitive with surrounding areas.  Rates can be found on the following links:

Wisconsin Public Service Electric Rates
Wisconsin Public Service Gas Rates

The Rhinelander Water Utility and sanitary districts in Minocqua/Woodruff and Three Lakes provide sanitary sewer and water service.  The capacity of the Rhinelander system and the current usage can be found on the following link:

Sewer and Water Rates

TAXES

The State of Wisconsin concentrates on reducing the cost of doing business while maintaining the high level of government services traditionally offered.  Wisconsin recognizes that worker’s compensation insurance premiums are a factor in attracting industry to the state and encouraging expansion. Among Midwestern states, Wisconsin rates remained very competitive.

The total of State and County sales tax is 5.5%.  Manufacturing machinery and equipment are exempt from property tax in Wisconsin, as are manufacturers’ inventory, pollution control and computer equipment.  Professional state-trained assessors value all manufacturing property. Property taxes collected in 2008 were based on the following effective rates per thousand dollars of assessed value.  All property in Wisconsin is assessed at full value; property tax exemptions are prohibited by the state constitution.

2008 Property Tax Rates Per Thousand Dollars Assessed Value

Minocqua	$9.08978
Three Lakes	$14.82441
Woodruff	$13.44343
City of Rhinelander	$17.87861

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EDUCATION

Excellence in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education is a key to why Oneida County is such an enjoyable place to live. Elementary schools are modern structures and well distributed throughout the county.  Three parochial schools supplement the public school system. 

Three high schools, Rhinelander High School, Three Lakes High School, and Lakeland Union High School, serve students in the county.  Four National Merit scholar winners at Rhinelander High School and the statistics shown below indicate the emphasis placed on academic training.  Here too, modern facilities are a prerequisite as demonstrated by recently built Three Lakes High School.

Student scores on the American College Testing (ACT) standardized tests taken each year by high school seniors are another measure of academic achievement.  The average ACT score of exams for the Rhinelander School District was 23.5 in 2008, compared to a State average of 22.3 and the national average of 21.1. Wisconsin’s seniors ranked third highest in the nation on the 2008 test.

For over forty years, Nicolet Area Technical College's mission has been to serve the people of Northern Wisconsin, deliver superior community college education that transforms lives and enriches communities. To meet those needs, Nicolet College offers a variety of instructional programs. Nicolet is a public community college serving Northern Wisconsin from its Lake Julia Campus south of Rhinelander, from the Lakeland Campus in Minocqua, and from other instruction centers located within the Nicolet District. The College offers one- and two-year career diplomas and degrees for people who want to acquire knowledge and skills required for employment, liberal arts university transfer studies for people who have their sights set on a degree from a four-year college or university, and a comprehensive continuing education program. Tens of thousands of people have benefited from these programs and from the numerous auxiliary programs and services that the college provides.

Successful businesses depend on well trained workers. Nicolet Area Technical College offers an extensive array of high quality, skills-based training solutions to increase individual productivity and maximize organizational performance through their Professional Development and Business and Industry Services. A few examples of the specialized programs are: Workplace Fundamentals, Leadership and Personal Effectiveness, Manufacturing and Technical Training, Computer Applications and Quality and Process Improvement making Nicolet Area Technical College a full business partner.

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HEALTH CARE

The two general medical and surgical hospitals in Oneida County, St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander and Howard Young Medical Center in Woodruff provide professional health care to residents throughout the Northwoods region. Doctors at these hospitals have advanced diagnostic equipment at hand, while patients enjoy very attractive facilities.

Ministry Health Care offers two health care clinics in Rhinelander, with an additional clinic located in Woodruff. Aspirus offers three clinics in Oneida County. The clinics are located in Rhinelander, Woodruff and Three Lakes. As an indication of their commitment to quality health care, Marshfield Clinic has constructed a 65,000 square foot clinic in Minocqua.  Specialists in oncology, cardiology and other areas serve the needs of the region. All Oneida County health care providers continually upgrade their services to provide proper care to the growing population. 

Taylor Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Friendly Village Nursing and Rehabilitation Center offer long-term nursing care in the Rhinelander area while Avanti Health and Rehabilitation Center offers offers long-term nursing care in Woodruff.  Several Assisted Living locations are available in Oneida County. Several Senior Living Apartments are located in Oneida County. Grace Lodge is located in Rhinelander, along the beautiful Wisconsin River, Our House Senior Living is also located in Rhinelander, while One Penny Place is located in Woodruff.

COMMUNICATION

Oneida County is served by the Rhinelander Daily News and bi-weekly Lakeland Times. The weekly Three Lakes News provides local coverage of the northeastern portion of the county.  News of the North.Net provides coverage via the worldwide web while the Star Journal and Hodag Buyer's Guide newspapers are available for home delivery and at news stands.

Several AM and FM commercial radio stations, including NRG Northwoods cover the Oneida County area, as well as a listener-sponsored stations broadcasting NPR and Wisconsin Public Radio.

WJFW is a television station in Rhinelander, WI that broadcasts throughout the Northwoods and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and provides complete local news coverage. The station runs programming from the NBC network and identifies itself as "NBC 12". WJFW is a full-power television station that operates with 316 kilowatts of power.

Charter Communications provides cable television, high-speed internet and phone service to Rhinelander, Minocqua, Woodruff and Three Lakes and carry a large variety of major regional and national stations. In addition, Karban TV Systems, Inc. offers cable service to Three Lakes.

The United States Postal Service has full service offices in each population center. United Parcel Service and Federal Express each operate terminals and distribution centers in Rhinelander, along with other express services. 

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CLIMATE

The Oneida County climate varies between long, relatively cold winters and warm summers.  The average annual rainfall is approximately 31 inches, while the national average is 37.  Snowfall during the winter averages 58 inches compared to the US average of 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 122.

RECREATION

Oneida County is well known for its wide variety of recreational and cultural opportunities.  The Northern Highland American Legion State Forest covers 225,000 acres in Oneida, Vilas and Iron counties.  There are 32 miles of mountain bike trails, 70 miles of cross-country ski trails and about 400 miles of snowmobile trails, nine designated swimming beaches and more than 100 designated boat launch sites. In addition, the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest 18 family campgrounds, plus two outdoor group camping areas. 

An additional 80,000 acres of county forest and seven recreation areas offer 245 miles of cross-country ski trails and over 343 miles of snowmobile trails.  For biking enthusiasts, the Bearskin State Trail is a scenic 18-mile tour running from Nokomis to Minocqua.

The Northeastern area of Wisconsin is an area with year-round recreational opportunities. Fishing and hunting abound in the area.  There are over 400 named and 800 other lakes and more than 50 named streams and rivers.  Muskie, walleye pike, trout and pan fish are favorites of fishermen, while grouse, duck and deer hunting draw sportsmen from throughout the Great Lakes states. 

There are more than ten public and private golf courses throughout the region including the Northwood Golf Course, which opened in 1989 and continues to draw rave reviews for its beauty and difficulty. Over 100 restaurants throughout the county cater to tastes ranging from Chinese to German, but the Friday night fish fry will remain a favorite here. 

There are two seasonal theater groups and a year-round dinner theater.  Additionally, Rhinelander is the home of two state-of-the-art movie theaters. The Hodag Country Music Festival in Rhinelander is one of the nation’s largest, held annually in July.

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HOUSING

The quality of life enjoyed in Oneida County is unencumbered by a high cost of living.  Housing prices are extremely attractive, particularly in light of the diversity of settings.  Homes on lakes and rivers are the norm, not the exception. Oneida County’s has had a continued growth pattern, which has existed for the past 15 years and appears to be getting stronger each year as more families choose to come the the Northwoods to experience our high quality of life.

 

SHOPPING, RETAIL AND LODGING

Rhinelander is a commercial and retail center for northern Wisconsin, while Minocqua offers a surprising mix of specialty stores aimed at the seasonal visitor. Several major discount stores offer competitive prices.  Combined, these retail outlets make Oneida County an attractive shopping locale. Rhinelander recently added Kohl's, among many other shopping outlets to add to our economic base.

We invite you to consider why Oneida County is a natural opportunity. 

Additional Rhinelander Profile Information
Additional Three Lakes Profile Information
Additional Minocqua Profile Information
Additional Woodruff Profile Information
Additional Oneida County Profile Information
Census Quick Facts

 

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