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Eau Claire, WI

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Eau Claire, WI

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 26
Population69,274
Foreign Born1.3%
Population Density2,012people per mi²
Median Age33.0 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

82/100

18% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $15k$29k
Comfortable $44k$65k
Luxury $111k+$172k+
Elite (Top 5%) $131k+$202k+
Affordability Ratio

100%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean92%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
32
Poor
5
Negative
1

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

2.1mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.7mi

Hospital

7 within 20 miles

0.9mi

Airport

JFK — John F. Kennedy Memorial

122.7mi

Post Office

USPS — Eau Claire, WI

0.5mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

1 private club within 10 miles.

Golf5Nearest 2.8 mi
Camping5Nearest 14.2 mi
Marina0 
Winery0 
Ice Rink1Nearest 1.7 mi
Gun Range1Nearest 4.1 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C-
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$65k+2.3%
13% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$559k
15% below US avg
College Educated
35.0%
Equal to US avg
WFH
10.9%
24% below US avg
Homeownership
55.4%
15% below US avg
Median Home
$228k
19% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
B+
Safe

Generally safer than 68% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
19.3
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−16.7%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−2.7%
Homicide
0.03 / 1k Residents23% below state avg
Robbery
0.12 / 1k Residents54% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
1.07 / 1k Residents35% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr−30.8%
Burglary
1.47 / 1k Residents67% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
15.26 / 1k Residents115% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.78 / 1k Residents35% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+3Tilts Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential history data unavailable.

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C+
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.9% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (15% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
D+
RestrictedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
F
ProhibitedIllegal

Homesteading

Growing Season162 days202 frost-free
Annual Rainfall39.3"
Elevation883 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A-
Good281 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,012/sq mi
Fallout Danger
A+
Great0 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
D-
PoorInland Flooding, Cold Wave, Tornado, Strong Wind, Hail
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 234 mi · coast 902 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$47.9M/yrfor the county

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:10:02.000Z

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