Real Estate Investing in Alma, Wisconsin (54610)

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

Buffalo County • Population: 1,544 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54610 (Alma, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (60/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 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
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 22.1% of homes vacant — above national norms.

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

What’s happening in Alma, WI (54610)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $248,819
Avg Monthly Rent $873
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $60,625
% Renters 24.3%

Market Analysis: 54610 Alma

Investors eyeing 54610 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $249K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 54610 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Statewide comparisons place 54610 among WI's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

A resilient renter share of 24% in 54610 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

The right play in 54610 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

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 Alma:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 63/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $873/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)

$259K$229K$200K$170K$140K$111KJan 2012May 2019Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54610 Compare?

Metric 54610 Alma Wisconsin
Home Value $248,819 $248,819 $320,446
5-Year CAGR 4.7% 4.7% 7.3%
Avg Rent $873 $873 -
Cap Rate 2.7% 2.7% -
💡 Why Invest in 54610? 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 54610 (Alma, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.7%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $248,819
Monthly Rent $873
Price-to-Rent 23.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.2%
Cap Rate 2.7%
5-Year IRR 7.4%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.7%). 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
22.1%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.7%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54610

Population: 1,544

💰 Median Household Income
$60,625
This area
$60,625
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
24.3%
This area
24.3%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.8%
This area
0.8%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
25.1%
This area
25.1%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
54.0 years
This area
54.0 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
22.1%
This area
22.1%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.9%
Other/Mixed 4.6%
Hispanic/Latino 1.7%
Asian 0.6%
👶 Under 18
16.5%
This area
16.5%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
27.7%
This area
27.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
2.4%
This area
2.4%
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 54610

A Avg School Grade
2 Schools
11.3:1 Avg Class Size
$18,037 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Alma High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
69 Students
👨‍🏫
9.9:1 Class Size
💰
$18,037 Per Student
A Very Good

Alma Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
176 Students
👨‍🏫
12.7:1 Class Size
💰
$18,037 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

How much does a house cost in Alma, WI?

Homes in Alma, WI typically sell near $249K. Prices have moved at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, which measured long-term demand.

Is Alma, WI landlord-friendly?

WI ranks as a landlord-friendly state for landlord-tenant law. Alma generally follows the statewide framework, so landlords face reasonable operating rules.

How qualified is the tenant pool in Alma, WI?

The tenant pool in Alma, WI is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $873/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

What is the best play in Alma, WI?

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

How much do tenants pay in Alma, WI?

Rent in Alma, WI is around $873/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $249K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

You know 54610 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 54610 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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