Real Estate Investing in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (54701)

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

Eau Claire County • Population: 42,348 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54701 (Eau Claire, WI)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (64/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 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 price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 27.6 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

What’s happening in Eau Claire, WI (54701)?

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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 $358,870
Avg Monthly Rent $1,084
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $68,841
% Renters 40.4%

Market Analysis: 54701 Eau Claire

The 54701 ZIP in Eau Claire, WI is a local-operator market. Outside capital chasing a $359K entry has to pair deep knowledge with the discount.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 54701 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Regionally, 54701 sits on the difficult end of the WI spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Resident income in 54701 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

New investors are better served looking at Eau Claire's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 54701. 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 Eau Claire:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.2× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,084/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
Eau Claire, WI Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
8.1%
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 Eau Claire, WI metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 54701

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
3.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+7.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$97,274/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $249,082 $1,200 3.5% +7.6% $124,541
3BR $305,897 $1,610 3.8% +7.1% $101,966
4BR $389,094 $1,620 3.0% +6.9% $97,274
5BR $524,997 +7.0% $104,999

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$375K$329K$283K$238K$192K$147KJan 2009Oct 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,265$1,175$1,086$996$907$817Feb 2022May 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54701 Compare?

Metric 54701 Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $358,870 $218,944 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 5.2% 5.5% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,084 $1,120 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 2.7% - -
💡 Why Invest in 54701? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 40% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 54701 (Eau Claire, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.2%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Eau Claire, WI metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
36%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $358,870
Monthly Rent $1,084
Price-to-Rent 27.6:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.6%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 7.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.7% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +5.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). 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
4.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54701

Population: 42,348

💰 Median Household Income
$68,841
This area
$68,841
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
40.4%
This area
40.4%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.7%
This area
2.7%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
41.6%
This area
41.6%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.3 years
This area
34.3 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.6%
This area
4.6%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 91.3%
Other/Mixed 4.0%
Asian 3.5%
Black/African American 1.3%
Hispanic/Latino 1.2%
👶 Under 18
18.8%
This area
18.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.1%
This area
18.1%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
4.6%
This area
4.6%
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 54701

B+ Avg School Grade
10 Schools
15.9:1 Avg Class Size
$15,744 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Manz Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
339 Students
👨‍🏫
11.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
A Very Good

South Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
792 Students
👨‍🏫
9.0:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
A Very Good

Flynn Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
235 Students
👨‍🏫
10.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
A Very Good

Meadowview Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
407 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
A Very Good

Putnam Heights Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
422 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
A Very Good

Robbins Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
534 Students
👨‍🏫
13.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
B Good

Memorial High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,558 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
C+ Average

Eau Claire Virtual School

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
141 Students
👨‍🏫
24.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
C+ Average

Eau Claire Community Sites

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
469 Students
👨‍🏫
31.3:1 Class Size
💰
$15,744 Per Student
C Below Average

Oxford Avenue School

📚 10 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$15,744 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.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

4 Nearby 6,144 Off-Campus Students
C+
Chippewa Valley Technical College
8,198 students · 3.6 mi
C+
The Professional Hair Design Academy
75 students · 3.6 mi
B
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
9,991 students · 3.8 mi
D
Healthcare Workforce Training Institute
0 students · 6.4 mi

Investor Insight: With 6,144 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do home prices stand in Eau Claire, WI?

Eau Claire, WI median home values land near $359K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,084/mo-per-month rentals.

Is Eau Claire, WI a friendly market for rental owners?

Eau Claire, WI falls under WI landlord-tenant law, which is landlord-friendly. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

What are vacancy rates like in Eau Claire, WI?

Vacancy in Eau Claire, WI is elevated, which keeps landlord downtime on reasonable timelines. Most properties lease within the standard window at $1,084/mo.

How much do tenants pay in Eau Claire, WI?

Rent in Eau Claire, WI is around $1,084/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $359K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

What kind of tenants rent in Eau Claire, WI?

Eau Claire, WI offers a measured renter base at the $1,084/mo rent level. Tenant turnover is reasonable for well-managed properties.

You know 54701 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 54701 ranks in Eau Claire, WI

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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