Spencer, WI · standard
ZIP Code 54479
Marathon County, Wisconsin — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,119
- 20/sq mi
- $77,371
- Median income
- $182,800
- Median home value
- 15.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Spencer pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 42%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 20
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54479 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 54479 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 207.0 square miles in Spencer, Marathon County, Wisconsin. The area is home to 4,119 residents, producing a population density of 20 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 54479 against Wisconsin and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 54479 sits at $77,371 (1% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $34,510. The poverty rate stands at 5.0% and the unemployment rate at 1.5%. On housing, the median home value is $182,800 (27% below the state average) with median rent at $577 per month, and 81.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 54479 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 15.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Marathon County, so you can benchmark 54479 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 54479
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54479.
- Construction
Construction
17 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
13 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
7 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 54479, Spencer, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
4,119
Population
207.0
Area (sq mi)
20
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 54479?
37.7
Median Age
54.2%
Male
45.8%
Female
2.4%
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?
$77,371
Median Household Income
-1% vs state
$34,510
Per Capita Income
5.0%
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Unemployment Rate
18.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 54479 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$77,371 Top 42% higher than 58% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
1,494
Total Housing Units
1,434
Occupied Units
60
Vacant Units
2.52
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$182,800
Median Home Value
-27% vs state
$577
Median Rent
1974
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
+17.7%
YoY Change (2024)
221
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+121%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 54479 have increased 17.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +121% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +2.8% | 156 |
| 2020 | +3.7% | 161 |
| 2021 | +8.1% | 174 |
| 2022 | +17.7% | 205 |
| 2024 | — | 221 |
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 90 business establishments in ZIP 54479, employing approximately 1,373 people with a combined annual payroll of $72,450,000.
90
Businesses
1,373
Employees
$72.5M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 17 | 18.9% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 18.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 14.4% |
| Retail trade | 8 | 8.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 7.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 6.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 6.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 5.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.3% |
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 54479 vs 54488 →
ZIP 54479 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 54449
Marshfield (54449)
26,418 residents
- 54479 4,119
Spencer (54479)
4,119 residents
- 54421 3,455
Colby (54421)
3,455 residents
- 54420 1,307
Chili (54420)
1,307 residents
- 54488 1,262
Unity (54488)
1,262 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 54479 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 54479 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 54420
Chili (54420)
$79,899 median income
- 54479
Spencer (54479)
$77,371 median income
- 54449
Marshfield (54449)
$67,551 median income
- 54488
Unity (54488)
$63,571 median income
- 54421
Colby (54421)
$60,820 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 54479 ranks #2 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Marathon County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 54479 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 54479? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 54479? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 54479? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54479? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54479? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54479? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54479? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 54479? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 54479? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 54479? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54479? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Spencer, WI
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.