Kaukauna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kaukauna
Appleton
Opportunity
72 · Top 20%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
66 · Top 31%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
76 · Top 14%
vs71 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Kaukauna | Appleton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,706 | 75,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,365 | $80,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,723 | $50,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,150/sq mi | 2,951/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,700 | $231,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 | $1,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.1% | 67.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 51 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -49.5% | -47.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.83 | 14.11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.4% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.5% | 38.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.1% | 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.
Full profiles: Kaukauna, WI · Appleton, WI · How this is calculated: methodology