54701 and 54956 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
54701
54956
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs72 · Top 17%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 25%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
69 · Top 33%
vs79 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 54701 | 54956 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,014 | 46,567 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,361 | $85,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,099 | $48,289 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 500/sq mi | 755/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $289,900 | $256,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,043 | $1,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 69.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 38.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 6.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 456 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.7% | -8.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 6°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.0" | 30.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.61 | 15.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.2% | 48.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.3% | 40.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.7% | 30.8% | 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
54701
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
54956
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 54701 — Eau Claire, WI · 54956 — Neenah, WI · How this is calculated: methodology