PlainZIP

Fort Atkinson, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53538

Jefferson County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

18,468
72/sq mi
$82,783
Median income
$245,900
Median home value
26.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fort Atkinson pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 35%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
72
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53538 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53538 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fort Atkinson, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, home to 18,468 residents across 256.9 square miles, a density of 72 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53538 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,783 (6% above the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $41,516. The poverty rate stands at 6.7% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. The typical home here is valued at $245,900 (1% below the state average); renters pay a median of $955 monthly, and 74.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.6, and the average commute is 20 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Jefferson County, letting you compare 53538 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 53538

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fort Atkinson, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53538.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53538, Fort Atkinson, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

18,468

Population

256.9

Area (sq mi)

72

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 53538?

44.6

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

6.1%

Foreign-Born

White 86.1%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$82,783

Median Household Income

+6% vs state

$41,516

Per Capita Income

6.7%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

20.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53538 ranks nationally

Fort Atkinson, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$82,783 Top 35% higher than 65% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,373

Total Housing Units

7,960

Occupied Units

413

Vacant Units

2.33

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.3%
Renter 25.7%

$245,900

Median Home Value

-1% vs state

$955

Median Rent

1970

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.8%

YoY Change (2024)

230

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+130%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53538 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +130% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.3% 154
2021 +9.9% 169
2022 +12.0% 189
2023 +15.2% 218
2024 +5.8% 230

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 474 business establishments in ZIP 53538, employing approximately 7,820 people with a combined annual payroll of $402,167,000.

474

Businesses

7,820

Employees

$402.2M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 79 16.7%
Construction 58 12.2%
Accommodation and food services 54 11.4%
Retail trade 47 9.9%
Other services (except public administration) 42 8.9%
Transportation and warehousing 28 5.9%
Finance and insurance 28 5.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 27 5.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 4.6%
Manufacturing 18 3.8%
Wholesale trade 18 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 17 3.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 2.7%
Information 11 2.3%
Educational services 5 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 53538 vs 53549 →

ZIP 53538 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53538 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 53538 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 53538 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
53549 Jefferson, WI 10,414 6.6 mi
53563 Milton, WI 10,728 9.6 mi
53190 Whitewater, WI 19,200 10.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Jefferson County

53094 standard
Watertown, WI
Pop: 19,169
53549 standard
Jefferson, WI
Pop: 10,414
53551 standard
Lake Mills, WI
Pop: 8,273
53594 standard
Waterloo, WI
Pop: 5,144
53038 standard
Johnson Creek, WI
Pop: 4,013
53156 standard
Palmyra, WI
Pop: 2,992

Related Areas

Jefferson County Fort Atkinson, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53538 in? ▼
ZIP code 53538 (Fort Atkinson) is located in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Jefferson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jefferson-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53538? ▼
ZIP code 53538 in Fort Atkinson, WI has a population of 18,468 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53538? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53538 is $82,783, which is 9% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53538? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53538 is $245,900, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53538? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53538 is White at 86.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53538? ▼
ZIP code 53538 has 474 business establishments employing approximately 7,820 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53538? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53538 are: Health care and social assistance (79), Construction (58), Accommodation and food services (54). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53538? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53538 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 130%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53538? ▼
In ZIP code 53538, 61.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 53538? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53538 is 20.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53538? ▼
In ZIP code 53538, approximately 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53538? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53538 is 6.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.