Marshfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wisconsin Rapids
Marshfield
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs56 · Bottom 49%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs78 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs100 · Top 10%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs63 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Wisconsin Rapids | Marshfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,722 | 18,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,253 | $58,407 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,275 | $40,778 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,347/sq mi | 1,355/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $131,900 | $177,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $888 | $842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 60.0% | 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 | 18.1% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.2% | -10.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.3" | 24.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 16.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 43.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.20 | 15.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.8% | 45.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.3% | 46.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.1% | 36.5% | 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
Wisconsin Rapids
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Marshfield
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Wisconsin Rapids
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Marshfield
64
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Wisconsin Rapids, WI · Marshfield, WI · How this is calculated: methodology