diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount.vim
index 757ac035..ad0a72e7 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount.vim
@@ -3,33 +3,17 @@
 
 let s:filetypes = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#wordcount#filetypes', '\vhelp|markdown|rst|org|text')
 let s:format = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#wordcount#format', '%d words')
+let s:formatter = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#wordcount#formatter', 'default')
 
-" adapted from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/114431/fast-word-count-function-in-vim
 function! s:update()
-  if &ft !~ s:filetypes
-    unlet! b:airline_wordcount
-    return
-  elseif exists("*wordcount")
-    let b:airline_wordcount = printf(s:format, wordcount()['words']).
-          \ g:airline_symbols.space . g:airline_right_alt_sep . g:airline_symbols.space
-  elseif mode() =~? 's'
-    " Bail on select mode
-    return
-  else
-    let old_status = v:statusmsg
-    let position = getpos(".")
-    exe "silent normal! g\<c-g>"
-    let stat = v:statusmsg
-    call setpos('.', position)
-    let v:statusmsg = old_status
-
-    let parts = split(stat)
-    if len(parts) > 11
-      let cnt = str2nr(split(stat)[11])
-      let spc = g:airline_symbols.space
-      let b:airline_wordcount = printf(s:format, cnt) . spc . g:airline_right_alt_sep . spc
-    else
-      unlet! b:airline_wordcount
+  if match(&ft, s:filetypes) > -1
+    if get(b:, 'airline_wordcount_cache', '') is# '' ||
+          \ b:airline_wordcount_cache isnot# get(b:, 'airline_wordcount', '') ||
+          \ get(b:, 'airline_change_tick', 0) != b:changedtick
+      " cache data
+      let b:airline_wordcount = airline#extensions#wordcount#formatters#{s:formatter}#format()
+      let b:airline_wordcount_cache = b:airline_wordcount
+      let b:airline_change_tick = b:changedtick
     endif
   endif
 endfunction
@@ -44,4 +28,3 @@ function! airline#extensions#wordcount#init(ext)
   call a:ext.add_statusline_func('airline#extensions#wordcount#apply')
   autocmd BufReadPost,CursorMoved,CursorMovedI * call s:update()
 endfunction
-
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount/formatters/default.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount/formatters/default.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52e39504
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount/formatters/default.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013-2016 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
+
+function! airline#extensions#wordcount#formatters#default#format()
+  let words = string(s:wordcount())
+  if empty(words)
+    return
+  endif
+  let separator = s:get_decimal_group()
+  if words > 999 && !empty(separator)
+    " Format number according to locale, e.g. German: 1.245 or English: 1,245
+    let a = join(reverse(split(words, '.\zs')),'')
+    let a = substitute(a, '...', '&'.separator, 'g')
+    let words = join(reverse(split(a, '.\zs')),'')
+  endif
+  return  words . " words" . g:airline_symbols.space . g:airline_right_alt_sep . g:airline_symbols.space
+endfunction
+
+function! s:wordcount()
+  if exists("*wordcount")
+    return wordcount()['words']
+  else if mode() =~? 's'
+    return
+  else
+    let old_status = v:statusmsg
+    let position = getpos(".")
+    exe "silent normal! g\<c-g>"
+    let stat = v:statusmsg
+    call setpos('.', position)
+    let v:statusmsg = old_status
+
+    let parts = split(stat)
+    if len(parts) > 11
+      return str2nr(parts[11])
+    else
+      return
+    endif
+  endif
+endfunction
+
+function s:get_decimal_group()
+  if match(v:lang, '\v\cC|en') > -1
+    return ','
+  elseif match(v:lang, '\v\cde|dk|fr') > -1
+    return '.'
+  endif
+  return ''
+endfunction
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index 5005d3b5..6059947e 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -415,6 +415,20 @@ eclim <https://eclim.org>
   let g:airline#extensions#wordcount#filetypes = ...
   (default: markdown,rst,org,help,text)
 
+* defines the name of a formatter for word count will be displayed: >
+  " The default will try to guess LC_NUMERIC and format number accordingly
+  " e.g. 1,042 in English and 1.042 in German locale
+  let g:airline#extensions#wordcount#formatter = 'default'
+
+  " here is how you can define a 'foo' formatter:
+  " create a file in the dir autoload/airline/extensions/wordcount/formatters/
+  " called foo.vim
+  " this example needs at least Vim > 7.4.1042
+  function! airline#extensions#wordcount#formatters#foo#format()
+    return (wordcount()['words'] == 0 ? 'NONE' :
+        \ wordcount()['words'] > 100 ? 'okay' : 'not enough')
+  endfunction
+  let g:airline#extensions#wordline#formatter = 'foo'
 <
 -------------------------------------                   *airline-whitespace*
 * enable/disable detection of whitespace errors. >
@@ -507,9 +521,9 @@ exposed.
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'default'
 
   " here is how you can define a 'foo' formatter:
-  " create a file in the dir autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatter/
+  " create a file in the dir autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters/
   " called foo.vim
-  function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatter#foo#format(bufnr, buffers)
+  function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#foo#format(bufnr, buffers)
     return fnamemodify(bufname(a:bufnr), ':t')
   endfunction
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'foo'