Weston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wausau
Weston
Opportunity
68 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs58 · Top 42%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs62 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Wausau | Weston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,996 | 15,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,389 | $78,207 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,957 | $44,362 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,080/sq mi | 727/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $167,900 | $229,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,010 | $1,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.6% | 63.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.9% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 48 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -83.2% | -28.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.9" | 33.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 18.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.67 | 15.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.3% | 43.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.6% | 40.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.6% | 32.6% | 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.
Full profiles: Wausau, WI · Weston, WI · How this is calculated: methodology