54981 ZIP Code — Waupaca, WI
Waupaca County, Wisconsin
ZIP code 54981 is located in Waupaca, Wisconsin, within Waupaca County. It covers approximately 131.59 square miles and serves a population of 14,902 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 715/534.
About ZIP code 54981
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $189,200. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.
Median household income is $75,335. The poverty rate of 7% is below the national average. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 23 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 27% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
14,902
population
131.59
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
54981 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 54981
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 54981. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Waupaca | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
54983 Weyauwega (10.3 mi)
54984 Wild Rose (10.4 mi)
54977 Scandinavia (10.5 mi)
54909 Almond (11 mi)
54406 Amherst (11.5 mi)
54965 Pine River (11.9 mi)
54962 Ogdensburg (13.8 mi)
54967 Poy Sippi (15.3 mi)
54940 Fremont (16.2 mi)
54949 Manawa (16.8 mi)
54970 Redgranite (17.2 mi)
54407 Amherst Junction (17.5 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 14,902 |
| Population density | 113 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 55 |
| County FIPS | 135 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 131.59 sq mi |
| Water area | 4.11 sq mi |
| Latitude | 44.3123 |
| Longitude | -89.1307 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 715/534 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 44.1% | 40.7% | 39.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.3% | 35.8% | 33.0% |
| $100k – $200k | 16.8% | 19.9% | 22.4% |
| Over $200k | 4.9% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
Demographics & statistics
14,902
Population
113
People per sq mi
46.5
Median age
$75,335
Median household income
$42,721
Per capita income
$189,200
Median home value
$808
Median monthly rent
75.0%
Home ownership
6.8%
Poverty rate
3.5%
Unemployment
6,341
Housing units
26.9%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
320
Under 5
289
458
5–9
412
479
10–14
432
369
15–19
332
407
20–24
366
760
25–34
684
977
35–44
880
1,018
45–54
917
593
55–59
535
648
60–64
584
1,088
65–74
980
499
75–84
450
224
85+
201
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 2,798 | 18.8% |
| 18 and over | 12,104 | 81.2% |
| 65 and over | 3,442 | 23.1% |
| Median age | 46.5 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
92.4%
Two or more races
2.3%
Hispanic or Latino
2%
Black or African American
1.1%
Asian
1.1%
Other race
0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 14,056 | 92.4% |
| Two or more races | 356 | 2.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 309 | 2% |
| Black or African American | 172 | 1.1% |
| Asian | 166 | 1.1% |
| Other race | 124 | 0.8% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 28 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 44.1% | 40.7% | 39.4% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.3% | 35.8% | 33.0% |
| $100k – $200k | 16.8% | 19.9% | 22.4% |
| Over $200k | 4.9% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
Under $10k
2.4%
$10k–$15k
1.8%
$15k–$25k
7.3%
$25k–$35k
8.7%
$35k–$50k
12.3%
$50k–$75k
17.1%
$75k–$100k
19.8%
$100k–$150k
17.2%
$150k–$200k
7.2%
$200k+
6.0%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.4% |
| $10k–$15k | 1.8% |
| $15k–$25k | 7.3% |
| $25k–$35k | 8.7% |
| $35k–$50k | 12.3% |
| $50k–$75k | 17.1% |
| $75k–$100k | 19.8% |
| $100k–$150k | 17.2% |
| $150k–$200k | 7.2% |
| $200k+ | 6.0% |
| Median income | $75,335 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
3.2%
$50k–$100k
9.8%
$100k–$150k
22.2%
$150k–$200k
19.7%
$200k–$300k
19.7%
$300k–$500k
17.3%
$500k–$1M
6.4%
$1M+
1.7%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,200 |
| Median rent / month | $808 |
| Owner occupied | 75.0% |
| Renter occupied | 25.0% |
| Vacant | 17.2% |
| Single-family detached | 77.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 1.6% |
| Mobile homes | 3.6% |
| Median rooms | 5.7 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.27 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.4% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.4% |
| 2000–2009 | 13.8% |
| 1990–1999 | 14.5% |
| 1980–1989 | 12.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 14.4% |
| 1960–1969 | 7.6% |
| 1950–1959 | 7.7% |
| 1940–1949 | 6.6% |
| 1939 or earlier | 16.7% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.4% |
| 1 bedroom | 7.6% |
| 2 bedrooms | 26.6% |
| 3 bedrooms | 46.7% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.0% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 3.7% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 4.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 24.6% |
| 2 vehicles | 42.4% |
| 3 or more | 28.8% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 53.3% |
| Electricity | 13.6% |
| Propane / LP gas | 25.9% |
| Fuel oil | 0.5% |
| Wood | 4.6% |
| Solar | 0.2% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 3,529 | 53.3% |
| Cohabiting couple | 570 | 8.6% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,304 | 19.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 1,220 | 18.4% |
| Households with children under 18 | 1,512 | 22.8% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 2,372 | 35.8% |
| Average household size | 2.17 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 29.6% | 18.5% |
| Married | 54.0% | 59.7% |
| Separated | 0.8% | 0.4% |
| Widowed | 4.6% | 7.0% |
| Divorced | 11.1% | 14.4% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.5%
Some HS, no diploma
4.5%
HS graduate
36.7%
Some college, no degree
19.9%
Associate's degree
10.4%
Bachelor's degree
18.6%
Graduate / professional
8.3%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.9% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.9% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 183 | 6.6% |
| Kindergarten | 158 | 5.7% |
| Elementary school | 1,425 | 51.0% |
| High school | 575 | 20.6% |
| College / grad school | 451 | 16.2% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Manufacturing
23.2%
Education & healthcare
18.0%
Retail trade
14.6%
Professional & management
8.1%
Arts, food & hospitality
7.6%
Finance & real estate
6.0%
Construction
5.2%
Other services
4.6%
Public administration
4.4%
Agriculture & mining
2.5%
Information
2.5%
Transportation & utilities
1.9%
Wholesale trade
1.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 31.3% |
| Service | 18.3% |
| Sales & office | 22.6% |
| Natural resources & construction | 7.3% |
| Production & transportation | 20.5% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 79.6% |
| Government | 13.3% |
| Self-employed | 7.1% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 82.9% |
| Carpool | 6.7% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 7.8% |
| Other means | 1.5% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 22.6 |
Poverty
All people
6.8%
Under 18 years
7.6%
18 and over
6.6%
Married-couple families
3.3%
Female-led households
6.1%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 41.1% |
| Retirement income | 32.9% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.3% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 7.0% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 35.9% |
| High blood pressure | 34.7% |
| High cholesterol | 35.7% |
| Diabetes | 10.4% |
| Heart disease | 7.6% |
| Stroke | 3.4% |
| Asthma | 9.3% |
| Arthritis | 26.5% |
| Kidney disease | 3.3% |
| Pulmonary disease | 7.0% |
| Cancer | 8.3% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 16.8% |
| Binge drinking | 22.5% |
| No physical activity | 21.6% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 29.6% |
| Depression | 19.2% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.0% |
| Poor mental health | 12.6% |
| Poor physical health | 10.5% |
| No health insurance | 10.2% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 75.4% |
| Visited dentist | 69.5% |
| Cholesterol screening | 88.6% |
| Teeth loss | 12.3% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,313 | 10.8% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 13.8% |
| Under 18 | 2.6% |
| 18–64 years | 11.4% |
| 65 and over | 29.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 73.1% |
| Public insurance | 36.5% |
| No insurance | 6.4% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.9% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 14,293 | 95.9% |
| Spanish | 132 | 0.9% |
| Other Indo-European | 89 | 0.6% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 41 | 0.3% |
| Other languages | 2 | 0.0% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 14,620 | 98.1% |
| Born in same state | 14,563 | 97.7% |
| Born in different state | 11,505 | 77.2% |
| Foreign born | 57 | 0.4% |
| Naturalized citizen | 282 | 1.9% |
| Not a US citizen | 138 | 48.9% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 1,590 | 10.7% |
| French | 1,463 | 9.8% |
| Polish | 1,335 | 9% |
| Arab | 588 | 3.9% |
| Dutch | 445 | 3% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 281 | 1.9% |
| Irish | 203 | 1.4% |
| German | 191 | 1.3% |
| Norwegian | 29 | 0.2% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 44.4% |
| Internet access | 92.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 54981
What city is ZIP code 54981 in?
ZIP code 54981 is primarily assigned to Waupaca, Wisconsin.
What county is ZIP code 54981 in?
ZIP code 54981 falls within Waupaca County, Wisconsin.
Does ZIP code 54981 have a large retiree population?
41% of households in ZIP code 54981 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
Does ZIP code 54981 have a large veteran population?
11% of civilians in ZIP code 54981 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 54981?
The median home value in ZIP code 54981 is $189,200.
What is the population of ZIP code 54981?
ZIP code 54981 has an estimated population of 14,902 residents, with a density of 113 people per square mile.
What timezone is ZIP code 54981 in?
ZIP code 54981 observes the CST timezone.