Baraboo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baraboo
Reedsburg
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
83 · Top 2%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 47%
vs61 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
50 · Bottom 48%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Baraboo | Reedsburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,769 | 10,168 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,750 | $75,028 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,597 | $40,084 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,689/sq mi | 1,668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $222,100 | $229,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $940 | $977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 225 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.6 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 230.9% | -72.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 10°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.9" | 34.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.35 | 13.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.4% | 27.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.7% | 41.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 8.6% | 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
Baraboo
Elevated or high exposure: hail, inland flooding.
Reedsburg
Elevated or high exposure: hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Baraboo, WI · Reedsburg, WI · How this is calculated: methodology