54494 and 54880 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
54494
54880
Opportunity
58 · Top 44%
vs58 · Top 44%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs29 · Bottom 15%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs47 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 30%
vs75 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 54494 | 54880 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,696 | 30,312 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,595 | $68,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,828 | $38,770 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 221/sq mi | 182/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,700 | $190,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $931 | $910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.7% | 63.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 11 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.2% | -26.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 31.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.1 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.73 | 14.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.0% | 22.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.2% | 32.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.1% | 15.3% | 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
54494
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
54880
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 54494 — Wisconsin Rapids, WI · 54880 — Superior, WI · How this is calculated: methodology