Population 85,310 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Eau Claire
Household size in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Eau Claire is a place of small households, averaging 2.30 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Eau Claire is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.2, mirroring the country. Only ten of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Eau Claire, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Eau Claire
Renters in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.1% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Eau Claire than nationally: 41.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 42.0% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only 12 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Eau Claire: just 4.8% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Eau Claire are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1976, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $697 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $773 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $886 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,085 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$388 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Eau Claire costs $1,085 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $388 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Eau Claire
Bachelor's degrees in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.1% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.8% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.8% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Eau Claire (37.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in Wisconsin as a whole (33.6%). The share with a degree is up 5.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Eau Claire: 96.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Eau Claire
| Period | Eau Claire | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Eau Claire has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Eau Claire compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire | 2.30 | 36.8 | 7.9% | 41.6% | 4.8% | 1976 | $1,085 | 37.8% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Altoona | 2.36 | 38.6 | 11.6% | 41.3% | 6.3% | 1988 | $1,175 | 41.2% | 96.5% | 2.6% |
| Lake Hallie | 2.25 | 40.9 | 6.6% | 36.2% | 3.7% | 1986 | $1,150 | 28.6% | 93.1% | 1.9% |
| Hallie | 2.38 | 40.4 | 7.8% | 27.7% | 6.3% | 1986 | $1,074 | 33.2% | 93.8% | 5.4% |
| Fall Creek | 2.69 | 39.7 | 8.5% | 15.5% | 3.9% | 1984 | $1,193 | 33.0% | 95.6% | 2.6% |
| Elk Mound | 2.72 | 38.2 | 12.6% | 26.4% | 4.7% | 1989 | $1,107 | 28.4% | 95.6% | 2.5% |
| Lake Wissota | 2.79 | 41.1 | 5.9% | 17.3% | 12.7% | 1989 | $1,257 | 30.8% | 95.0% | 0.2% |
| Chippewa Falls | 2.26 | 43.4 | 6.4% | 29.8% | 5.1% | 1972 | $1,007 | 26.4% | 95.3% | 3.5% |
| Falls City | 2.73 | 40.5 | 10.1% | 13.4% | 6.0% | 1992 | $1,123 | 30.0% | 96.3% | 2.9% |
| Eleva | 2.64 | 41.4 | 8.9% | 18.2% | 6.1% | 1985 | $1,266 | 33.1% | 95.8% | 1.3% |
| Tilden | 2.38 | 48.1 | 4.2% | 15.3% | 2.3% | 1986 | $916 | 28.2% | 95.1% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Manhattan, NY · Madera, CA · Madison, WI · Madison, AL · Magnolia, TX · Manchester, NH · Macon, GA · Livonia, MI · Lexington, SC · Layton, UT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Eau Claire. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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