53597 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53597
53575
Opportunity
83 · Top 5%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
79 · Top 5%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs89 · Top 35%
Schools
91 · Top 3%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs92 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
85 · Top 5%
vs81 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 53597 | 53575 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,426 | 18,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $117,000 | $107,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,751 | $54,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 405/sq mi | 329/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $493,200 | $432,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,376 | $1,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.1% | 79.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.7% | 49.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.4% | 5.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 170 | 432 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.8 | 13.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 37.1% | -16.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 37.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.3 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.47 | 13.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 64.5% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.5% | 45.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 9.3% | 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: 53597 — Waunakee, WI · 53575 — Fitchburg, WI · How this is calculated: methodology