53098 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
54937
53098
Opportunity
70 · Top 21%
vs67 · Top 25%
Growth
40 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 3%
vs94 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs95 · Top 21%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs85 · Bottom 28%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 54937 | 53098 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,687 | 11,353 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,841 | $74,431 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,920 | $38,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 181/sq mi | 112/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,200 | $253,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,132 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.3% | 67.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 7.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.3% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.4" | 37.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.5 | 45.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.71 | 14.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.9% | 39.6% | 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.
Full profiles: 54937 — Fond du Lac, WI · 53098 — Watertown, WI · How this is calculated: methodology