Chippewa Falls receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chippewa Falls
Lancaster
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Chippewa Falls | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,782 | 41,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,873 | $59,133 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,256 | $34,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,300/sq mi | 2,166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,400 | $193,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.7% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -61.4% | -67.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 6°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.0" | 40.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Chippewa Falls
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
Lancaster
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Chippewa Falls, WI · Lancaster, OH · How this is calculated: methodology