53718 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53711
53718
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
78 · Top 6%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs97 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
76 · Top 19%
vs87 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | 53711 | 53718 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,279 | 18,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,735 | $102,843 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,923 | $51,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,976/sq mi | 911/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,600 | $363,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,406 | $1,696 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 55.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.9% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 3.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 432 | 3,111 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.2 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.3% | 14.7% | 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 | 10 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.03 | 13.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.3% | 4.0% | 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: 53711 — Fitchburg, WI · 53718 — Madison, WI · How this is calculated: methodology