Real Estate Investing in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin (54889)

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

Barron County • Population: 2,889 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54889 (Turtle Lake, 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: 30.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 30.2 — 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 Turtle Lake, WI (54889)?

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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 $325,730
Avg Monthly Rent $900
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $68,594
% Renters 25.7%

Market Analysis: 54889 Turtle Lake

The 54889 ZIP covers a section of Turtle Lake that demands careful diligence. Prices near $326K look accessible, but the work to make a deal cash flow is real.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 54889 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Regionally, 54889 sits on the difficult end of the WI spectrum. The a strong candidate for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

Employment concentration in 54889 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

New investors are better served looking at Turtle Lake's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 54889. 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 Turtle Lake:

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 (+7.5%)
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)

$342K$295K$249K$203K$157K$110KJan 2009Oct 2017Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54889 Compare?

Metric 54889 Turtle Lake Wisconsin
Home Value $325,730 $325,730 $320,446
5-Year CAGR 6.5% 6.5% 7.3%
Avg Rent $900 $900 -
Cap Rate 2.2% 2.2% -
💡 Why Invest in 54889? 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 54889 (Turtle Lake, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.2%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.5%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $325,730
Monthly Rent $900
Price-to-Rent 30.2:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.3%
Cap Rate 2.2%
5-Year IRR 8.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.2%). 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.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

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

Vacancy
30.0%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.5%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54889

Population: 2,889

💰 Median Household Income
$68,594
This area
$68,594
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
25.7%
This area
25.7%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.2%
This area
1.2%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
21.5%
This area
21.5%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
48.6 years
This area
48.6 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
30.0%
This area
30.0%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 94.8%
Other/Mixed 5.0%
Hispanic/Latino 1.5%
Asian 0.2%
👶 Under 18
20.1%
This area
20.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
25.7%
This area
25.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.0%
This area
5.0%
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 54889

A Avg School Grade
4 Schools
12.6:1 Avg Class Size
$17,902 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Turtle Lake Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
214 Students
👨‍🏫
10.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,902 Per Student
A Very Good

Turtle Lake High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
112 Students
👨‍🏫
9.2:1 Class Size
💰
$17,902 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Turtle Lake Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
99 Students
👨‍🏫
14.1:1 Class Size
💰
$17,902 Per Student
B Good

Laker Online

📚 K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
11 Students
👨‍🏫
16.9:1 Class Size
💰
$17,902 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

What is the rental occupancy rate in Turtle Lake, WI?

Rental vacancy in Turtle Lake, WI is elevated. Investors should budget normal turnover but not chronic empty units.

Is rental property easy to operate in Turtle Lake, WI?

WI law landlord-friendly for landlords, and Turtle Lake inherits those rules. Investors should still review local ordinances for rental licensing.

What is the average monthly rent in Turtle Lake, WI?

The typical rental in Turtle Lake, WI commands about $900/mo monthly. That rent profile measured cash flow against the $326K purchase basis.

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

House hacking works a challenging in Turtle Lake, WI. Rents of $900/mo against $326K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

What is the smart move for investors in Turtle Lake, WI?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Turtle Lake, WI. With home values at $326K and rents near $900/mo, other strategies can work but produce stable rather than outsized returns.

You know 54889 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 54889 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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