Janesville-Beloit and Dubuque 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
Janesville-Beloit
Dubuque
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
49 · Bottom 49%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
57 · Bottom 17%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 30%
vs77 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 31%
vs99 · Top 30%
Access
81 · Top 41%
vs68 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
88 · Top 5%
vs90 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Janesville-Beloit | Dubuque | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 164,350 | 99,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,673 | $77,630 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,536 | $41,404 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 229/sq mi | 163/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $231,600 | $237,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $959 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 73.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 33.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 417 | 647 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.0% | 31.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.4" | 38.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 17.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 39.1 | 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
Janesville-Beloit
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Dubuque
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Janesville-Beloit
74
Your Score
71
Area Score
Dubuque
74
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Janesville-Beloit, WI Metro Area · Dubuque, IA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology