Wheatmead Funding, a small-business funding broker in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, sets out the public business figures for Eau Claire County, ZIP 54701 and the city here, each labelled by source and geography. Eau Claire County had 2,753 employer establishments in 2023, 45.2 percent with fewer than five employees. Partners make all credit decisions.
| Eau Claire County, WI employers | 2,753 establishments (CBP 2023) |
|---|---|
| Under five employees | 45.2% of county employers (CBP 2023) |
| No-payroll businesses | 7,411 in Eau Claire County, WI (NES 2024) |
| ZIP 54701 employers | 1,463 establishments (ZBP 2023) |
| Self-employed, City of Eau Claire, WI | 6.9% +/- 1.1 (ACS 2020-2024) |
A city that sits in two counties
The City of Eau Claire lies in two counties, Eau Claire County and Chippewa County (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 place-to-county codes). That matters when you read local statistics: county figures describe Eau Claire County as a whole, not the city, and they leave out the Chippewa County side entirely. Every figure on this page names its geography for that reason.
Eau Claire County, WI employers at a glance
| Employees | Establishments | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 | 1,243 | 45.2% |
| 5 to 9 | 538 | 19.5% |
| 10 to 19 | 456 | 16.6% |
| 20 to 49 | 333 | 12.1% |
| 50 or more | 183 | 6.6% |
In total the county had 2,753 employer establishments with 51,990 paid employees and about $2.79 billion in annual payroll (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Health care and social assistance led by count (421 establishments) and by payroll (about $738.5 million), followed by retail trade (382) and other services (306).
Another 7,411 county businesses had no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024). The two series come from different programs and years, so they are not added together here.
ZIP 54701, around Barstow Street
The office ZIP code, 54701, had 1,463 employer establishments with 26,768 employees and about $1.28 billion in annual payroll in 2023; 42.9 percent of those establishments had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). The largest groups were health care (241), retail (238) and accommodation and food services (169).
A 54701 mailing address is not the same as the city. Only 13.3 percent of the ZIP's land lies inside the City of Eau Claire, and about two thirds of the city's own land sits in ZIP 54703 instead (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file). For permits and zoning, the parcel's jurisdiction counts, not the ZIP; our city-or-county permits guide explains why.
Self-employment in Eau Claire, WI
6.9 percent of employed residents of the City of Eau Claire were self-employed (margin of error plus or minus 1.1 points), against 8.4 percent (plus or minus 0.8) for Eau Claire County and 8.5 percent (plus or minus 0.1) for Wisconsin (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). The city and county ranges overlap, so the survey cannot say the city's share is truly lower.
Of the city's self-employed residents, slightly more ran businesses that were not incorporated (3.8 percent of employed residents) than incorporated ones (3.1 percent). Partners often ask unincorporated owners for personal tax returns as well as business records.
Which structures suit Eau Claire County, WI businesses
- Food service and retail payroll: working capital or a line of credit for the gap before sales or receivables arrive.
- Kitchens, store fixtures and practice equipment: equipment financing secured by the item.
- Stock ahead of sales: inventory financing for the county's 382 retail and 106 wholesale employers (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023).
- Fit-outs and second sites: a term loan on a fixed schedule.
All six structures are compared side by side, and funding by sector covers restaurants, retail, construction and medical and dental practices.
Premises, permits and records
Zoning maps and building-permit searches show up among local search suggestions for Eau Claire, WI, and for good reason: a lease or a fit-out that stalls on a permit can strand money already borrowed. Read the zoning and permits guide before signing a lease. Owners who search for commercial real estate for sale should note that Wheatmead Funding does not arrange property purchases.
Help outside Wheatmead Funding
People search for an Eau Claire business directory, for Eau Claire business after-hours events and for the Wisconsin SBDC in Eau Claire. Our Chippewa Valley small business resources guide lists the kinds of free help available and how to check each one.
From the blog
Three posts work through local questions in more depth: opening a restaurant in Eau Claire, WI, covering payroll for a first part-time hire, and writing a business plan partners will read. The rest are on the blog.
Nearby towns
Owners in Altoona, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Bloomer, Cadott, Mondovi and smaller Chippewa Valley communities work with us by phone and online; see every town we serve.
Reaching Wheatmead Funding
The business address is 207 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701, phone (534) 202-5331. Who we are explains how we work, and the contact page has the map.
Who Wheatmead Funding works with in Eau Claire, WI
Our lending partners have confirmed they fund contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock, and Wheatmead Funding works with businesses like these in Eau Claire, WI. Each partner still decides case by case.
Documents to have ready
- Your most recent business tax return
- Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
- Photo ID for every owner of the business
- Proof of ownership and business registration
- A simple schedule of current business debt and monthly payments
- For equipment, the seller's quote with make, model and price
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule.
The steps after your first call
- It starts with a call to (534) 202-5331 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
- We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
- After you give the go-ahead, we share the request with suitable lending partners, and each one decides on its own.
- Any offer comes from the partner. Read the total cost, the payment schedule and the terms before deciding; turning it down is always an option.
Our address: 207 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701.
By Wheatmead Funding · Updated