Real Estate Investing in Vesper, Wisconsin (54489)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Wood County • Population: 1,385 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54489 (Vesper, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (81/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Vesper, WI (54489)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $253,325
Avg Monthly Rent $1,026
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $59,297
% Renters 17.7%

Market Analysis: 54489 Vesper

This part of Wood County is not an easy win. The 54489 ZIP reflects softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

The 54489 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

Regionally, 54489 sits on the difficult end of the WI spectrum. The a solid fit for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

A notable renter share of 18% in 54489 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

New investors are better served looking at Vesper's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 54489. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Vesper:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 68/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+13.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,026/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
5.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$266K$231K$196K$161K$126K$91KJan 2012May 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54489 Compare?

Metric 54489 Vesper Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $253,325 $253,325 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 7.8% 7.8% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,026 $1,026 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.2% 3.2% - -
💡 Why Invest in 54489? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 54489 (Vesper, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.2%
Low
5yr Growth
+7.8%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $253,325
Monthly Rent $1,026
Price-to-Rent 20.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.9%
Cap Rate 3.2%
5-Year IRR 10.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +13.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +8.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +7.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.2%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

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⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
4.7%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+7.8%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54489

Population: 1,385

💰 Median Household Income
$59,297
This area
$59,297
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
17.7%
This area
17.7%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.2%
This area
1.2%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
15.1%
This area
15.1%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
44.9 years
This area
44.9 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.7%
This area
4.7%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 93.2%
Other/Mixed 6.8%
Hispanic/Latino 1.2%
Asian 0.1%
👶 Under 18
22.6%
This area
22.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
21.3%
This area
21.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
10.5%
This area
10.5%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

1 Nearby 1,569 Off-Campus Students
C+
Mid-State Technical College
2,918 students · 11.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,569 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What investment strategy works best in Vesper, WI?

In Vesper, WI the solid play is typically careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. The combination of $253K prices and $1,026/mo rents suits that approach.

Do rentals sit vacant long in Vesper, WI?

Expect elevated vacancy in Vesper, WI. Rents at $1,026/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

Are homes affordable in Vesper, WI?

Vesper, WI median home values land near $253K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,026/mo-per-month rentals.

Is Vesper, WI good for landlords?

For rental operators, Vesper, WI rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

What do landlords charge for rent in Vesper, WI?

Rent in Vesper, WI is around $1,026/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $253K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

You know 54489 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 54489 ranks in Wisconsin Rapids-Marshfield, WI

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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