54482 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54482
53959
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs79 · Top 8%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 28%
vs61 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs97 · Top 17%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 54482 | 53959 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,963 | 14,451 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,500 | $77,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,214 | $41,436 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 98/sq mi | 129/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $288,900 | $255,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $995 | $995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 69.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.1% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 40 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.4% | -72.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 34.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.33 | 13.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.1% | 42.3% | 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
54482
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
53959
Elevated or high exposure: hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 54482 — Stevens Point, WI · 53959 — Reedsburg, WI · How this is calculated: methodology