Eau Claire, WI
Census place 5522300 · pop 70,322
A former lumber boomtown once called 'Sawdust City' and the hometown of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
54.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.43% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
14.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$67,395 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
24.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$247,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
36.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.1% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
51/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,197/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Eau Claire: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Eau Claire, WI a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Eau Claire scores 58/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is homeownership. Wisconsin overall ranks #7 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Eau Claire, WI expensive to live in?
- Eau Claire has a median home value of $247,600 and typical rent around $1,197/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Eau Claire, WI?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (54.4%) — 23/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Eau Claire, WI best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 91/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A former lumber boomtown once called 'Sawdust City' and the hometown of Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.