54129 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54129
53098
Opportunity
67 · Top 25%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs94 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 41%
vs95 · Top 21%
Access
93 · Top 50%
vs85 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 39%
vs74 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 54129 | 53098 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,222 | 11,353 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,381 | $74,431 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,605 | $38,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 46/sq mi | 112/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $279,700 | $253,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,052 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.2% | 67.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.9% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 7.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 122 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.9 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.0% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 37.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 53.4 | 45.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.00 | 14.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.5% | 39.6% | 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
54129
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
53098
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 54129 — Harrison, WI · 53098 — Watertown, WI · How this is calculated: methodology