Rhinelander, WI · standard
ZIP Code 54501
Oneida County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,019
- 21/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $68,163
- Median income Near-median income area
- $203,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 26.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rhinelander pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 44th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 44th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 21
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54501 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 54501 (Rhinelander, WI) rose +9.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 207.2 in 2023 to 225.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 54501 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Rhinelander, Oneida County, Wisconsin, with 20,019 residents across 948.8 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 54501 reports a modest median household income of $68,163 (13% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,947. The poverty rate is 8.8%, with unemployment at 2.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $203,900 (18% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), and median rent is $828; owner occupancy is 80.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.7, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Oneida County, so 54501 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 54501
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rhinelander, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54501.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
98 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
93 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
90 establishments
- Construction
Construction
81 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
73 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 54501, Rhinelander, 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
20,019
Population
948.8
Area (sq mi)
21
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 54501?
46.7
Median Age
49.8%
Male
50.2%
Female
1.3%
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?
$68,163
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$38,947
Per Capita Income
8.8%
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Unemployment Rate
19.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 54501 ranks among Wisconsin ZIPs
Rhinelander, 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)
$68,163 31st percentile higher than 31% 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
12,761housing units
12,761
Total Housing Units
9,373
Occupied Units
3,388
Vacant Units
2.24
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$203,900
Median Home Value
-18% vs state ZIP avg
$828
Median Rent
1978
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
+9.0%
YoY Change (2024)
226
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+126%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 54501 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.2% | 143 |
| 2021 | +8.3% | 155 |
| 2022 | +25.1% | 194 |
| 2023 | +6.7% | 207 |
| 2024 | +9.0% | 226 |
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 691 business establishments in ZIP 54501, employing approximately 8,827 people with a combined annual payroll of $439,371,000.
691
Businesses
8,827
Employees
$439.4M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 98 | 14.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 93 | 13.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 90 | 13.0% |
| Construction | 81 | 11.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 73 | 10.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 35 | 5.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 33 | 4.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 31 | 4.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 30 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 28 | 4.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 28 | 4.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 26 | 3.8% |
| Information | 15 | 2.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 13 | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 9 | 1.3% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.4% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.4% |
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 54501 vs 54463 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54463 | Pelican Lake, WI | 684 | 11.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 54501, 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 (20,019 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Oneida County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 54501 in?
ZIP code 54501 (Rhinelander) is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Oneida County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/oneida-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 54501?
ZIP code 54501 in Rhinelander, WI has a population of 20,019 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54501?
The median household income in ZIP 54501 is $68,163, which is 11% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54501?
The median home value in ZIP 54501 is $203,900, which is 27% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54501?
The largest racial group in ZIP 54501 is White at 93.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54501?
ZIP code 54501 has 691 business establishments employing approximately 8,827 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54501?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54501 are: Retail trade (98), Health care and social assistance (93), Accommodation and food services (90). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54501?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54501 increased by 9.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. 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 54501?
In ZIP code 54501, 56.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.8% 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 54501?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54501 is 19.7 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 54501?
In ZIP code 54501, approximately 80.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54501?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54501 is 8.8% 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 54501's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 54501 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rhinelander, 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.