54403 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54494
54403
Opportunity
58 · Top 44%
vs69 · Top 22%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 30%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs59 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 54494 | 54403 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,696 | 24,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,595 | $69,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,828 | $39,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 221/sq mi | 187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,700 | $192,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $931 | $1,009 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.7% | 65.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 20 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.2% | -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 | 60 mi | 72 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.1 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.73 | 13.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.0% | 34.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.2% | 32.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.1% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
54494
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
54403
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 54494 — Wisconsin Rapids, WI · 54403 — Wausau, WI · How this is calculated: methodology