Neenah receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Watertown
Neenah
Opportunity
69 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Watertown | Neenah | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,774 | 27,336 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,107 | $75,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,897 | $43,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,888/sq mi | 2,850/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $222,100 | $210,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,052 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 35.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 75 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.3 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.6% | -8.2% | 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 | 37.3" | 30.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.57 | 15.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.0% | 48.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.0% | 40.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.6% | 30.8% | 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
Watertown
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Neenah
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Watertown, WI · Neenah, WI · How this is calculated: methodology