Real Estate Investing in Appleton, Wisconsin (54911)

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

Outagamie County • Population: 25,598 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 54911 (Appleton, 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.

What’s happening in Appleton, WI (54911)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $281,704
Avg Monthly Rent $1,338
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $63,643
% Renters 40.9%

Market Analysis: 54911 Appleton

ZIP 54911 in Appleton, WI carries a impressive set of headwinds. Home values near $282K and rents of $1,338/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

The investment case in 54911 is robust only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $282K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Statewide comparisons place 54911 among WI's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

The demographic picture in 54911 includes headwinds that any investor should price in. Income distribution skews lower than Appleton averages, and tenant stability requires active management.

Strategically, 54911 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Appleton:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 74/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+8.2%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,338/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
Appleton, WI Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
4.3%
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 Appleton, WI metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 54911

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.5% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+10.8% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$65,482/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $209,593 $1,210 4.2% +10.8% $104,797
3BR $264,531 $1,670 4.5% +10.2% $88,177
4BR $303,522 $1,740 4.1% +10.0% $75,880
5BR $327,410 +10.2% $65,482

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$299K$258K$217K$176K$135K$95KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,415$1,388$1,360$1,332$1,304$1,276Jan 2025Oct 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 54911 Compare?

Metric 54911 Appleton Appleton, WI Wisconsin
Home Value $281,704 $288,194 N/A $320,446
5-Year CAGR 8.8% 8.2% N/A 7.3%
Avg Rent $1,338 $1,333 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.7% 3.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 54911? Click to expand

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

A healthy rental market with 41% 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 54911 (Appleton, WI). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.7%
Low
5yr Growth
+8.8%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Appleton, WI metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
26%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $281,704
Monthly Rent $1,338
Price-to-Rent 17.5:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.7%
Cap Rate 3.7%
5-Year IRR 12.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +8.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +7.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +8.9% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -3.5% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.7%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.7%). 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
4.5%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.8%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 54911

Population: 25,598

💰 Median Household Income
$63,643
This area
$63,643
State
$73,177
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
40.9%
This area
40.9%
State
22.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
1.9%
This area
1.9%
State
-1.8%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
33.9%
This area
33.9%
State
17.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
36.2 years
This area
36.2 years
State
35.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
4.5%
This area
4.5%
State
17.1%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 84.7%
Other/Mixed 7.9%
Asian 4.8%
Hispanic/Latino 4.1%
Black/African American 2.6%
👶 Under 18
20.8%
This area
20.8%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
16.3%
This area
16.3%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.9%
This area
5.9%
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 54911

B Avg School Grade
14 Schools
16.2:1 Avg Class Size
$14,757 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Edison Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
252 Students
👨‍🏫
10.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
A Very Good

Kaleidoscope Academy

📚 06 – 08 Middle Charter
👥
460 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
A Very Good

Einstein Middle

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
559 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
A Very Good

Ferber Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
593 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
A Very Good

Huntley Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
650 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
A Very Good

Columbus Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
132 Students
👨‍🏫
10.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Franklin Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
297 Students
👨‍🏫
12.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
B Good

Classical School

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
496 Students
👨‍🏫
18.7:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
B Good

Appleton Community 4K

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
765 Students
👨‍🏫
22.8:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
B Good

Valley New School

📚 07 – 12 High School Charter
👥
66 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
C+ Average

Appleton Bilingual School

📚 K – 05 Elementary Charter
👥
134 Students
👨‍🏫
18.2:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
C Below Average

Wisconsin Connections Academy

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12 Charter
👥
672 Students
👨‍🏫
31.1:1 Class Size
💰
$14,757 Per Student
C Below Average

Appleview

📚 Pre-K – 12 K-12
👥
15 Students
💰
$14,757 Per Student
C Below Average

Appleton Cooperative Educational Center

📚 04 – 12 High School Limited Data
👥
3 Students
💰
$14,757 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 6,487 Off-Campus Students
C+
Lawrence University
1,410 students · 1.6 mi
C+
Fox Valley Technical College
10,995 students · 3.9 mi
C+
The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton
85 students · 4.1 mi
C
Academy of Beauty Professionals
77 students · 4.1 mi

Investor Insight: With 6,487 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I live-in-and-rent in Appleton, WI?

Appleton, WI offers a challenging house-hacking opportunity. Small multifamily or rent-by-the-room plays can pair well with the $1,338/mo rent level.

How strong is the working-renter base in Appleton, WI?

Tenant quality in Appleton, WI ranks as solid. Landlords generally report reliable occupancy at market rents of $1,338/mo.

Is Appleton, WI a good market for buy-and-hold investors?

Appleton, WI scores 3.0/5 for investability. Home values sit at $282K and rents near $1,338/mo, which keeps the rent-to-price ratio in reasonable territory for buy-and-hold investors.

Is Appleton, WI a friendly market for rental owners?

Rental owners in Appleton, WI deal with a landlord-friendly legal framework. Most standard eviction processes run on reasonable timelines.

Are there empty rentals in Appleton, WI?

Appleton, WI carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect even-keeled absorption at market rents of $1,338/mo.

You know 54911 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 54911 ranks in Appleton, WI

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Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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