Eau Claire, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Wisconsin·Eau Claire

Eau Claire County · Eau Claire · population 72,331

Eau Claire, WI
Image: Wikipedia · Eau Claire, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Eau Claire stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $315,721
1-year +1.6%
5-yr CAGR +5.8%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +1.0%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$316k$150k$210k$269k$328k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,218/mo$913$1,102$1,291202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent123125100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 21.6
Lean rent

At a 21.6 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Eau Claire. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
58 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
69 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
65 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
74 · w10%
Long thesis

Eau Claire is a Rust Belt market with +1.0% population growth — a rare combination. You're buying real housing for less than the cost of a coastal studio in a city the data says is finally turning.

Short thesis

Eau Claire's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Eau Claire

Eau Claire is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 72,331. The population grew 1.0% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Eau Claire is $315,721 as of 2026-04, up 1.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Eau Claire average $1,218 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.8% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Net positive migration: population up 1.0% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Eau Claire (Wikipedia)

Eau Claire is a city in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County. It is the seventh-most populous city in Wisconsin, with a population of 69,421 at the 2020 census. The Eau Claire metropolitan area, known locally as the Chippewa Valley, has approximately 176,000 residents.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorDave Solberg (acting)
Area34.95 sq mi
Elevation787 ft
Established1856
Motto(French: Here is the clear water!)
Density2112.8/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Eau Claire County right now.

NWS active alerts (WI)Wisconsin Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Eau Claire County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Eau Claire

15 tracked · ranked by median home value
1Seymour$362,358+6.1%
2Otter Creek$353,174+1.1%
3West Ridge$323,623+1.9%
4Dells Park$307,378+2.1%
5Third Ward$306,999-0.9%
6Putnam Heights$305,390+1.4%
7Mount Washington$301,884+1.9%
8Airport$285,354+3.1%
9Burlington$283,982+2.1%
10East Hill$248,283+0.9%
11Randall Park$245,157-2.1%
12Upper Westside$239,068+0.3%
13West Riverside$214,407+0.8%
14North Side Hill$202,234-0.2%
15North River Fronts$197,253-0.1%

Cities like Eau Claire

Madison, WI71 · RisingMiddleton, WI69 · RisingSun Prairie, WI73 · RisingHudson, WI69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Eau Claire

ToolCan I afford Eau Claire?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Eau Claire rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Eau Claire to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolEau Claire cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
47″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Eau Claire listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Eau Claire area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$72,500
Wisconsin state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareDairy/Food

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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