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
Lancaster
Chippewa Falls
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs81 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs91 · Top 30%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Chippewa Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,249 | 14,782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,133 | $57,873 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,001 | $31,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,166/sq mi | 1,300/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,900 | $210,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 | $910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -67.8% | -61.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 39.2 | 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
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lancaster
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
Chippewa Falls
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lancaster, OH · Chippewa Falls, WI · How this is calculated: methodology