53168 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54482
53168
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs80 · Top 8%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs38 · Bottom 30%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 28%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs99 · Top 12%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs76 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 54482 | 53168 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,963 | 9,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,500 | $97,035 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,214 | $54,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 98/sq mi | 278/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $288,900 | $300,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $995 | $1,303 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 80.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 40 | 11 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.4% | 10.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 31.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 46.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.33 | 16.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.1% | 20.7% | 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: 54482 — Stevens Point, WI · 53168 — Salem Lakes, WI · How this is calculated: methodology