Signals
Watertown-Fort Atkinson
Wooster
Growth
31 · Bottom 20%
vs40 · Bottom 33%
Climate
57 · Bottom 16%
vs62 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 13%
vs86 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 42%
vs100 · Top 29%
Access
86 · Top 32%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
95 · Top 1%
vs78 · Top 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Watertown-Fort Atkinson | Wooster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 86,003 | 116,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,750 | $73,574 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,881 | $35,229 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 155/sq mi | 210/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $274,100 | $222,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,035 | $881 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 76.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 197 | 230 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -51.7% | 1.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.7" | 36.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 38.9 | 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
Watertown-Fort Atkinson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Wooster
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
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Watertown-Fort Atkinson
74
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Area Score
Wooster
76
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI Micro Area · Wooster, OH Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology