Real Estate Investing in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin (54539)

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

Oneida County • Population: 1,404 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54539 (Lake Tomahawk, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (48/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 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
2 flags
  • High vacancy: 69.7% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 32.6 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

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

What’s happening in Lake Tomahawk, WI (54539)?

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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 $352,007
Avg Monthly Rent $900
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $74,318
% Renters 7.2%

Market Analysis: 54539 Lake Tomahawk

The 54539 ZIP in Lake Tomahawk, WI is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $352K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

Rent of $900/mo on a $352K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 54539 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

ZIP 54539's metrics run below Oneida County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

The demographic picture in 54539 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Lake Tomahawk averages, and tenant stability requires active management.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 54539 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

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 Lake Tomahawk:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 62/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.7× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+10.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $900/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$369K$321K$273K$225K$177K$129KMar 2011Nov 2018Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54539 Compare?

Metric 54539 Lake Tomahawk Wisconsin
Home Value $352,007 $352,007 $320,446
5-Year CAGR 5.5% 5.5% 7.3%
Avg Rent $900 $900 -
Cap Rate 2.0% 2.0% -
💡 Why Invest in 54539? 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 54539 (Lake Tomahawk, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.0%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.5%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $352,007
Monthly Rent $900
Price-to-Rent 32.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.1%
Cap Rate 2.0%
5-Year IRR 7.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +10.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.9% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.0%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.0%). 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.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

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

Vacancy
69.7%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.5%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54539

Population: 1,404

💰 Median Household Income
$74,318
This area
$74,318
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
7.2%
This area
7.2%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.0%
This area
1.0%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
22.0%
This area
22.0%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
56.2 years
This area
56.2 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
69.7%
This area
69.7%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.2%
Other/Mixed 5.3%
Hispanic/Latino 3.5%
Black/African American 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
👶 Under 18
12.8%
This area
12.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
33.8%
This area
33.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.2%
This area
5.2%
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

🎓 Schools in 54539

D Avg School Grade
1 Schools
$8,695 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

D Needs Improvement

McNaughton Correctional Center

📚 07 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$8,695 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lake Tomahawk, WI a good place for real estate investing?

The 3.0/5 investability rating in Lake Tomahawk, WI reflects its $352K prices and $900/mo rents. Investors generally consider it a solid option within WI.

How tight is the rental market in Lake Tomahawk, WI?

Lake Tomahawk, WI sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader WI rental market.

How much does a house cost in Lake Tomahawk, WI?

The median home value in Lake Tomahawk, WI is roughly $352K. That puts it reasonable relative to the WI statewide average.

What does house hacking look like in Lake Tomahawk, WI?

House hacking works a challenging in Lake Tomahawk, WI. Rents of $900/mo against $352K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

How do experienced investors play Lake Tomahawk, WI?

For Lake Tomahawk, WI, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

You know 54539 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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