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 Moderate-density area
- $74,092
- Median income Near-median income area
- $227,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 53901 (Portage, WI) rose +9.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 213.4 in 2023 to 233.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,973. The poverty rate is 11.9%, with unemployment at 3.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $227,700 (8% below the average Wisconsin ZIP) and median rent is $1,012; 68.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
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. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Columbia County, so 53901 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
71 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
59 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
52 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
51 establishments
- Construction
Construction
39 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 53901?
41.7
Median Age
54.3%
Male
45.7%
Female
3.5%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$35,973
Per Capita Income
11.9%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
23.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53901 ranks among Wisconsin ZIPs
Portage, WI household income vs. every Wisconsin ZIP code
Median household income among 755 reporting Wisconsin ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$74,092 47th percentile higher than 47% of 755 Wisconsin ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Wisconsin 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
6,516housing units
6,516
Total Housing Units
5,799
Occupied Units
717
Vacant Units
2.27
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$227,700
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 53901
Portage (53901)
14,445 residents
- 53930 1,285
Endeavor (53930)
1,285 residents
- 53920 414
Briggsville (53920)
414 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53901 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53901 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53901
Portage (53901)
$74,092 median income
- 53930
Endeavor (53930)
$72,778 median income
- 53920
Briggsville (53920)
$69,432 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53901, both outside WI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (14,445 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Columbia County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 53901's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53901 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Portage, WI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.