Census-designated place · Dunn County, Wisconsin

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin

Tainter Lake is a census-designated place in Dunn County, Wisconsin, part of the Menomonie, WI metro area. It has 2,609 residents. Tainter Lake, Wisconsin has a quality-of-life score of 88 out of 100 (very high), ranking #1,829 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Wisconsin it ranks #151 of 396 cities and towns. It ranks best on uninsured residents (under 65) (low), homicide rate (low) and loneliness (low). It ranks worst on suicide rate (high), access to exercise opportunities (low) and new business applications (low).

88Very high

Quality-of-life score: #1,829 of 15,651 cities and towns
Wisconsin: #151 of 396 in WI
Population: 2,609 (2020-2024)
Land area: 19 mi²
Density: 140.8 /mi²
FIPS code: 5578980

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety91#1,338/15,637
Economy65#5,420/15,631
Housing83#2,514/14,977
Health66#5,238/15,609
Healthcare56#6,904/15,650
Environment95#748/15,453
Education72#4,334/15,649
Infrastructure49#8,034/15,650
Community80#3,142/15,651
Leisure & amenities82#2,848/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Tainter Lake, Wisconsin ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Dunn County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Uninsured residents (under 65) · low1.1%
96/100Wisconsin 6.4%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010High uncertainty
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Wisconsin 4.3 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataDunn County value
Loneliness · low31.4%
91/100Wisconsin 31.6%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Property crime rate · low511 /100k
89/100Wisconsin 1,017 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationDunn County value
High school diploma or higher · high93.4%
89/100Wisconsin 93.6%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Mammography screening · high54.0%
88/100Wisconsin 53.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDunn County value

Weaknesses

Suicide rate · high26.2 /100k
7/100Wisconsin 16.7 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataDunn County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low53.2%
13/100Wisconsin 83.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDunn County value
New business applications · low8.9 /1k
14/100Wisconsin 12.0 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauDunn County value
Primary care shortage · high15.0
21/100Wisconsin 4.2United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationDunn County value
Preventable hospital stays · high3,353 /100k
25/100Wisconsin 2,596 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDunn County value
Distance to an airport · high65 mi
25/100Wisconsin 37 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauDunn County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
27.8% (2015-2019) → 49.4% (2020-2024)
+22 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeWorsening
22.5% (2015-2019) → 29.9% (2020-2024)
+7.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Income inequality (Gini index)Worsening
0.350 (2015-2019) → 0.453 (2020-2024)
+29%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483
Median household incomeImproving
$82,786 (2015-2019) → $105,781 (2020-2024)
+28%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Child poverty rateWorsening
7.4% (2015-2019) → 12.6% (2020-2024)
+5.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateWorsening
4.5% (2015-2019) → 8.4% (2020-2024)
+3.8 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Tainter Lake, Wisconsin improved on 2 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 2. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Property tax−0.4 points1.82% → 1.40%
Household income+28%$82,786 → $105,781

Declined2

Inequality+0.1030.350 → 0.453
Rent / income+7.4 points22.5% → 29.9%

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Tainter Lake, Wisconsin between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	24.5 min2015-2019	26.4 min2020-2024	+1.8 min	Within the margin of error	28%
Bachelor's degree or higher	39.8%2015-2019	42.0%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	45%
Broadband subscriptions	93.7%2015-2019	91.2%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Within the margin of error	4%
Effective property tax rate	1.82%2015-2019	1.40%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Improved	86%
High school diploma or higher	95.9%2015-2019	93.4%2020-2024	−2.5 points	Within the margin of error	13%
Home price to income ratio	2.4×2015-2019	2.8×2020-2024	+0.4×	Within the margin of error	51%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3502015-2019	0.4532020-2024	+0.103	Declined	4%
Median household income	$82,7862015-2019	$105,7812020-2024	+28%	Improved	50%
Poverty rate	4.5%2015-2019	8.4%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	22.5%2015-2019	29.9%2020-2024	+7.4 points	Declined	14%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Tainter Lake, Wisconsin five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Tainter Lake, Wisconsin in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Tainter Lake, Wisconsin itself moved −19.9 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,609 residents (±215)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (+8.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

2,609 residents (±215)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

White93%2,433
Black1.0%†25
Hispanic or Latino3.0%†77

Education

1,734 residents (±164)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

No high school diploma6.6%†114
High school or GED18%†311
Some college22%374

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

974 households (±132)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Under $25k10%†98
$25k–50k18%†172
$50k–75k13%†126
$75k–100k7.0%†68
$100k–150k23%226
$150k–200k15%†146
$200k or more14%†138

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (−12.8 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

974 households (±132)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Own88%859
Rent12%†115

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+5.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

89 households (±36)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Under $75025%†22
$750–1,00016%†14
$1,000–1,50046%†

Home values

859 homes (±123)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Under $150k9.7%†83
$150k–250k24%†209
$250k–400k38%324

Age of homes

1,177 homes (±157)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

2010 or later4.5%†53
2000–200925%†296
1980–199928%335

Size of homes

1,177 homes (±157)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Studio1.1%†13
1 bedroom2.2%†26
2 bedrooms20%†233

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,343 workers (±129)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Drive alone82%1,098
Carpool5.0%†67
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home12%†167
Other0.8%†11

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+7.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,176 workers (±120)

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Under 15 min33%391
15–29 min35%407
30–44 min19%†226

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Menomonie, WI

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Dunn County, the county holding most of Tainter Lake's residents.

Dunn County has 915 employer establishments, 200 for every 10,000 residents (0.81× the US rate of 248; 0.82× Wisconsin's), with 15,649 paid employees at an average annual pay of $59,382. The Census Bureau also counts 2,935 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 915; 2,935 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 200; US 248 · Wisconsin 244
Paid employees: 15,649
Average annual pay: $59,382; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Dunn County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	80	17.5	1.13×About typical	683	$89,318	247
Restaurants and other eating places	62	13.5	0.74×Fewer than typical	1,092	$16,465	8
Ambulatory health care services	47	10.3	0.49×Fewer than typical	475	$44,053	112
Truck transportation	46	10.1	1.99×More than typical	425	$78,824	109
Religious organizations	38	8.3	1.50×More than typical	194	$20,603	—
Full-service restaurants	34	7.4	0.97×About typical	554	$16,838	3
Building equipment contractors	31	6.8	1.13×About typical	323	$84,133	36
Lessors of real estate	27	5.9	0.48×Fewer than typical	106	$38,811	256
Construction of buildings	26	5.7	0.75×Fewer than typical	302	$89,212	145
Automotive repair and maintenance	25	5.5	1.08×About typical	124	$58,258	68
Offices of other health practitioners	25	5.5	0.90×About typical	213	$36,282	57
Gasoline stations	24	5.2	1.62×More than typical	421	$25,689	—

Rank places for an industry Open Dunn County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 45,768 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $36.1K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Tainter Lake, Wisconsin: $13.83 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $36.1K; +47% vs FY2025
Per resident: $13.83; US $1,995
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.6%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of Veterans Affairs$35.1K97%
Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$7452.1%
Offices, Boards and Divisions$2130.6%
Defense Logistics Agency$4.480.0%

Top recipients

COUNTY OF DUNN$28.5K79%
THE NEIGHBORS - WEST NEIGHBORHOOD$4,29912%
NEIGHBORS OF DUNN COUNTY$2,3646.6%
HIDDEN VALLEY INDUSTRIES, LLC$7452.1%
CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS, INC.$2130.6%

Spending by fiscal year

20.8KFY2017
11.4KFY2018
23.4KFY2019
11.2KFY2020
5.6KFY2021
5.4KFY2022
5.3KFY2023
10.8K

Top industries (NAICS)

Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) · 6231$35.1K97%
Other food manufacturing · 3119$7452.1%
Other support services · 5619$2130.6%
Other miscellaneous manufacturing · 3399$4.480.0%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Tainter Lake, Wisconsin, so they do not add up across cities.

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin's figures are part of those of Dunn County, WI ($2.7M in FY2026), never added to them: 1.3% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Tainter Lake is mostly in Dunn County.

See federal money in Dunn County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Tainter Lake, Wisconsin is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Derrick Van OrdenR-WI-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 8.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Dunn County89100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Menomonie, WI91

Other cities and towns in Dunn County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5578980

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends