53158 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53158
53575
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs89 · Top 35%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs92 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs81 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 53158 | 53575 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,420 | 18,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,868 | $107,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,300 | $54,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 609/sq mi | 329/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $375,600 | $432,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,455 | $1,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.4% | 79.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 49.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 5.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 389 | 432 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 18.0 | 13.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1668.2% | -16.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.9" | 37.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.5 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.89 | 13.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.3% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.4% | 45.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.8% | 16.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 53158 — Pleasant Prairie, WI · 53575 — Fitchburg, WI · How this is calculated: methodology