54403 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54403
54494
Opportunity
69 · Top 22%
vs58 · Top 44%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs23 · Bottom 10%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs74 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
59 · Bottom 6%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 48%
vs57 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 54403 | 54494 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,950 | 27,696 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,030 | $72,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,420 | $39,828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 187/sq mi | 221/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $192,600 | $181,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 | $931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 77.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 22.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -83.2% | -22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.9" | 31.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 72 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 46.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.67 | 14.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.3% | 37.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.6% | 33.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.6% | 46.1% | 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
54403
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
54494
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: 54403 — Wausau, WI · 54494 — Wisconsin Rapids, WI · How this is calculated: methodology