Marshfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Marshfield
Wisconsin Rapids
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs75 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 10%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
67 · Top 30%
vs32 · Bottom 24%
Access
63 · Bottom 8%
vs64 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Marshfield | Wisconsin Rapids | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,700 | 18,722 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,407 | $55,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,778 | $31,275 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,355/sq mi | 1,347/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,800 | $131,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.0% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.3% | -22.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.9" | 31.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 66 mi | 65 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.2 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.12 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.5% | 28.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.9% | 30.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.5% | 48.1% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Marshfield
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Wisconsin Rapids
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.
Marshfield
64
Your Score
65
Area Score
Wisconsin Rapids
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Marshfield, WI · Wisconsin Rapids, WI · How this is calculated: methodology