PlainZIP

Portage, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53901

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

14,445
39/sq mi
$74,092
Median income
$227,700
Median home value
21.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 47%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 48%
home value, US ZIPs
39
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53901 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53901 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, home to 14,445 residents across 367.6 square miles, a density of 39 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53901 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $74,092 (5% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $35,973. Poverty here runs at 11.9%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. Median home value sits at $227,700 (8% below the state average), median rent at $1,012 a month, and owner-occupancy at 68.9%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.7, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 53901 in local context, 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Columbia County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 53901

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Portage, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53901.

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 53901, Portage, 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

14,445

Population

367.6

Area (sq mi)

39

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 53901?

41.7

Median Age

54.3%

Male

45.7%

Female

3.5%

Foreign-Born

White 86.6%
African American 4.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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?

$74,092

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$35,973

Per Capita Income

11.9%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

23.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53901 ranks nationally

Portage, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$74,092 Top 47% higher than 53% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 54.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.6%

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

What does housing look like?

6,516

Total Housing Units

5,799

Occupied Units

717

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.9%
Renter 31.1%

$227,700

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$1,012

Median Rent

1973

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

+9.2%

YoY Change (2024)

233

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+133%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53901 have increased 9.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +133% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.2% 154
2021 +11.1% 171
2022 +10.5% 189
2023 +12.9% 213
2024 +9.2% 233

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 427 business establishments in ZIP 53901, employing approximately 6,878 people with a combined annual payroll of $323,473,000.

427

Businesses

6,878

Employees

$323.5M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 71 16.6%
Retail trade 59 13.8%
Health care and social assistance 52 12.2%
Other services (except public administration) 51 11.9%
Construction 39 9.1%
Finance and insurance 28 6.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 27 6.3%
Manufacturing 24 5.6%
Wholesale trade 15 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 15 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 2.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 2.1%
Information 8 1.9%

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 53901 vs 53930 →

ZIP 53901 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 53901 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 53901 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 53901 ranks the highest of 3 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
53930 Endeavor, WI 1,285 8.7 mi
53920 Briggsville, WI 414 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Columbia County

53555 standard
Lodi, WI
Pop: 8,465
53925 standard
Columbus, WI
Pop: 7,781
53954 standard
Pardeeville, WI
Pop: 6,926
53955 standard
Poynette, WI
Pop: 5,692
53960 standard
Rio, WI
Pop: 3,268
53932 standard
Fall River, WI
Pop: 2,573

Related Areas

Columbia County Portage, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53901 in? ▼
ZIP code 53901 (Portage) is located in Columbia County, Wisconsin. Columbia County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/columbia-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53901? ▼
ZIP code 53901 in Portage, WI has a population of 14,445 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53901? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53901 is $74,092, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53901? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53901 is $227,700, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53901? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53901 is White at 86.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53901? ▼
ZIP code 53901 has 427 business establishments employing approximately 6,878 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53901? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53901 are: Accommodation and food services (71), Retail trade (59), Health care and social assistance (52). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53901? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53901 increased by 9.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 133%. 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 53901? ▼
In ZIP code 53901, 54.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.6% 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 53901? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53901 is 23.6 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 53901? ▼
In ZIP code 53901, approximately 68.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53901? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53901 is 11.9% 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.