54481 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54481
54403
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs69 · Top 22%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 28%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 19%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs59 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 54481 | 54403 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,242 | 24,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,545 | $69,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,955 | $39,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 431/sq mi | 187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $201,000 | $192,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $869 | $1,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 65.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 40 | 20 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.4% | -83.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 33.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 72 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.1 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.66 | 13.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.7% | 34.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.2% | 32.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.1% | 48.6% | 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.
Full profiles: 54481 — Stevens Point, WI · 54403 — Wausau, WI · How this is calculated: methodology