53959 and 53548 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
53959
53548
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs69 · Top 21%
Growth
45 · Bottom 42%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 46%
vs68 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 17%
vs99 · Top 11%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs61 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 53959 | 53548 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,451 | 19,916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,924 | $76,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,436 | $38,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 129/sq mi | 266/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $255,300 | $234,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $995 | $1,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 26.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 132 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.3% | 78.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.1" | 37.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.23 | 12.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.3% | 30.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.0% | 36.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 56.9% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
53959
Elevated or high exposure: hail, inland flooding.
53548
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: 53959 — Reedsburg, WI · 53548 — Janesville, WI · How this is calculated: methodology