Skip to main content

Area data

Portage, WI — ZIP 53901

Population: 14,291 (Census ACS)

The median home value in ZIP 53901 (Portage, WI) is $295,395 — up 2.5% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $242,500 after a median 82 days on market. 8 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively Moderate, with hail, coldwave, heatwave the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 7.0% below the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).

Backed by 25+ public sourcesFEMA · U.S. Census · NOAA · Dept. of Education · EPA · and more

$295,395

Median home value

+2.5%

1-year change

82

Median days on market

Relatively Moderate

Hazard risk (county)

Home values & appreciation

Median home value
$295,395
1-year appreciation
+2.5%
3-year appreciation
+18.4%
5-year appreciation
+35.4%
10-year appreciation
+104.4%
All-time peak (2026-04)
$296,724
House Price Index (state)
459.9 (+5.7% YoY)

Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)

Market activity

Median sale price
$242,500
Median list price
$259,000
Median days on market
82 days
Homes sold (recent period)
1
For-sale inventory
58
Sale-to-list ratio
91.5%
Active listings
2
1-year forecast
+1.8%
New listings (monthly)
22

Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)

Rents

Studio fair-market rent
$783/mo
1BR fair-market rent
$978/mo
2BR fair-market rent
$1,230/mo
3BR fair-market rent
$1,599/mo
4BR fair-market rent
$1,845/mo

Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)

Affordability

Cost of living index (Below Average)
93.0 (100 = US avg)
Electricity rate (state-level)
18.2¢/kWh
Natural gas rate (state-level)
$10.70/MCF
30-year mortgage rate (national)
6.66%
15-year mortgage rate (national)
6.00%

Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)

Schools

Total schools
8
Elementary schools
4
Middle schools
1
High schools
3
School districts serving the area
Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Portage Community School District
Schools include
Columbia Correctional Institution, Portage Academy of Achievement, Lewiston Elementary, Wayne Bartels Middle, Portage High

Source: NCES school directory, 2022-23 (school-address-based)

Natural hazards & flood risk

Overall hazard risk (county)
Relatively Moderate
Top hazards (county)
hail, coldWave, heatWave, inlandFlooding, strongWind
Notable hazard ratings (county)
coldWave: Relatively Moderate · drought: Relatively Low · hail: Very High · heatWave: Relatively Moderate · iceStorm: Relatively Low · inlandFlooding: Relatively Moderate
FEMA flood zone
AE
Flood risk level
High
Wildfire risk to homes (county)
Higher than 23% of US counties
Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
46.1%
Radon potential (county)
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3
EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
None
Nearest Superfund site
Sauk County Landfill (20 mi)
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL

Climate (30-year normals)

Annual precipitation
40.6 in
USDA plant hardiness zone
5a (extreme annual low -20 to -15°F)

Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)

Air quality

Air quality rating
Good
Median AQI (annual)
44
Days with Good air quality
133
Days with Moderate air quality
52
Days with Unhealthy air quality
2
Highest AQI recorded (year)
159

Source: EPA air quality data (nearest monitoring station, annual)

Walkability & transit

Walkability index
7.3 / 20
Transit service frequency
-99,999
Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
12,904
Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
11,320

Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)

Amenities

National parks within ~60 mi
1
Nearest national park
Ice Age National Scenic Trail (30 mi)
Airports within 30 mi
33
Nearest airport
Portage Municipal Airport (0 mi)
Nearest major airport
Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN) (30 mi)
Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
1
Hospitals include
ASPIRUS DIVINE SAVIOR HOSPITAL
Avg hospital rating (CMS)
3.0 / 5
Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
3.0 / 5
Solar radiation rating
Fair (3.8 kWh/m²/day)

Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)

Migration

Net migration (county)
+56 tax filers

Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)

Housing stock

Median year housing built
1,973
Housing built before 1970
46.7%
Housing built 2000 or later
19.0%
Median annual property tax
$3,187
Mean commute to work
22 min
Households with broadband internet
69.1%

Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)

Employment & development

Total county employment
18,313
Average weekly wage
$990
Top industries (by employment)
Health Care, Accommodation & Food, Construction
Annual residential building permits (county)
135

Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)

How it compares

ZIP 53901State medianUS median
Median home value$295,395$316,891$289,727
Median sale price$242,500$322,500$325,000
Median days on market82 days49 days51 days
Median annual property tax$3,187$2,994$2,006

State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.

Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →

Common questions

What is the median home value in ZIP 53901?
$295,395.
What is the median sale price in ZIP 53901?
$242,500.
How long do homes take to sell in ZIP 53901?
Median days on market: 82 days.
What is typical rent in ZIP 53901?
2-bedroom fair-market rent: $1,230/month (HUD FMR — a 40th-percentile regulatory reference, not market-observed).
What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 53901?
Overall risk: Relatively Moderate (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: hail, coldWave, heatWave, inlandFlooding, strongWind.
Is ZIP 53901 in a flood zone?
High (FEMA NFIP). FEMA flood zone AE.
What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 53901?
Risk to homes is higher than 23% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
What is the radon potential in ZIP 53901?
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 53901?
No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
How many schools serve ZIP 53901?
8 schools (4 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high) (NCES, 2022-23).
Is ZIP 53901 walkable?
Walkability index: 7.3/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
What is the air quality in ZIP 53901?
Good. Median AQI: 44. (EPA AQI).
What is the cost of living in ZIP 53901?
Regional Price Parity: 93.0 (100 = US average) (Below Average) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).

Nearby ZIP codes

Selling a home in Portage, WI?

REAIGENT7 gives every listing its own AI assistant grounded in this same public data — it answers buyer questions about the home and the area, around the clock, and sends every lead to the listing agent. Agents: it installs on your listing page, your website, or WordPress.

Data last updated

Most recent source refresh: Sep 2026. See all data sources →

Data compiled by REAIGENT7 — AI listing platform for real estate agents