Fort Atkinson and Watertown 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
Fort Atkinson
Watertown
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs69 · Top 25%
Growth
34 · Bottom 22%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 12%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
76 · Top 15%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Atkinson | Watertown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,463 | 22,774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,302 | $70,107 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,229 | $32,897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,132/sq mi | 1,888/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $211,800 | $222,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $961 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 62.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 75 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -87.0% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.5" | 37.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 26.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.5 | 40.6 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fort Atkinson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Watertown
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Atkinson
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Watertown
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Atkinson, WI · Watertown, WI · How this is calculated: methodology