De Pere receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Onalaska
De Pere
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs95 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs97 · Top 16%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
76 · Top 16%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Onalaska | De Pere | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,348 | 25,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,867 | $84,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,580 | $38,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,823/sq mi | 2,116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $288,900 | $280,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,130 | $1,053 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 65.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 37.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 153 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 6.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.6% | 25.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.2" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 19.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 36.3 | 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
Onalaska
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
De Pere
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Onalaska, WI · De Pere, WI · How this is calculated: methodology