Waupun receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fond du Lac
Waupun
Opportunity
65 · Top 32%
vs67 · Top 28%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 3%
vs95 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Fond du Lac | Waupun | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,494 | 11,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,260 | $65,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,942 | $30,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,313/sq mi | 2,393/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $173,700 | $188,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $913 | $951 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | 2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 11 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.3% | -80.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.4" | 28.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.94 | 15.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.3% | 37.9% | 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.
Your best match
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Fond du Lac
68
Your Score
67
Area Score
Waupun
67
Your Score
70
Area Score
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Full profiles: Fond du Lac, WI · Waupun, WI · How this is calculated: methodology